lightweight fighter

XY: "A stealth fighter in the size of a Saab Gripen is impossible without compromising its performance to a point where it becomes useless". Me: "Hold my beer..." :) Everyone is welcome to join! But be aware, this is intended to be beyond napkin sketches. You may need some CAD skills or access...

Boeing's LWF design was rated very highly in the LWF competition. It has been suggested it came second in the evaluation to General Dynamics Model 401 (F-16), but Northrop's P-610 was given the second contract because it was twin engined and hence represented a different approach. Boeing's...

The F-16 has its origins in General Dynamics studies for the FX program. An RFP was issued in December 1965 for a Tactical Support Aircraft, specifying dual air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. The Air Force was thinking of a 60,000lb VG aircraft at this time. Grumman submitted a variable...

Air Enthusiast, September 1971

The LFI was supposed to be developed alongside the MFI as a lightweight, single engine, cheaper version. To save money, however, the LFI program was suspended, as it shared the MFI configuration the initial 1.44 prototype would serve to verify the basic airframe design. The intention was that...

Northrop P-610 single-engine variant of the YF-17 Cobra (later F/A-18 Hornet) At the time of the USAF’s ‘Light Weight Fighter’ (LWF) Request for Proposal, Northrop attempted to cover its bases, by submitting both a single-engine design, the P-610, and the twin-engine design, the P-600 Both the...