FLIGHTS OF FANTASY: What if the F-20 Tigershark went into production?

[pathology_doc]

I'm leaning towards no. The F5/F20 airframe was always very tightly packed and didn't have much extra volume. Adding more volume would require a massive redesign, well beyond what happened with Super Bugs or Gripen E.

At that point you've probably lost the attractions of cheapness and ease of maintenance that made the F-5 such an attractive concept in the first place. Granted, you'll still be cheaper than an F-22 or F-35, but possibly not by much. You're probably also making so many changes that you might as well give it a new number.

One of the few benefits of tech marching on, though, is that avionics tend to shrink with time, as does the weight and size of sophisticated guided ordnance. A hypothetical F-20 interceptor upgrade is probably going to have an easier time accommodating a pair of AMRAAMs than a pair of Sparrows, for example, and at a pinch it might even be persuaded to carry four.

 

[Scott Kenny]

At that point you've probably lost the attractions of cheapness and ease of maintenance that made the F-5 such an attractive concept in the first place. Granted, you'll still be cheaper than an F-22 or F-35, but possibly not by much. You're probably also making so many changes that you might as well give it a new number.

I'm not sure that it'd be cheaper than an F-35 to buy. Compare price of new Gripen E versus F-35A.

One of the few benefits of tech marching on, though, is that avionics tend to shrink with time, as does the weight and size of sophisticated guided ordnance. A hypothetical F-20 interceptor upgrade is probably going to have an easier time accommodating a pair of AMRAAMs than a pair of Sparrows, for example, and at a pinch it might even be persuaded to carry four.

Agreed here. The F-CK-1 and the FA-50 are both in the same "weaponized supersonic trainer" class as the F-5/T-38, and both are packing 2-4 AMRAAMs.

 

[pathology_doc]

I'm not sure that it'd be cheaper than an F-35 to buy. Compare price of new Gripen E versus F-35A.

Yeah, we're on the same wavelength here. The only thing which keeps the price down at all is that the updated systems for your hypothetical F-5 or F-20 refit already exist and are proven. Systems and weapon integration are still going to do na$ty thing$ to the cost estimates and unit price, even if the airplane's external shape doesn't have to change to accommodate an off-the-shelf package and ESPECIALLY if you end up being the sole user of a boutique variant.

 

[FighterJock]

And we all know what happened to the F-17 sadly. Would the F-20 have been designed had Northrop won the LWF competition instead of General Dynamics?

 

[Tigershark 30-82]

Is it possible that a second gen aircraft would have appeared, something akin to the second gen Hornet and Gripen?

Oddly enough, that was sort of what was going to happen. There were two different production standards for the F-20: the 1983 version, and post 1986 version. The 1983 production standard was pretty much what prototypes 2 and 3 were. This involved the F404-GE-100 (17,000 lbf), 186 square foot wing, panoramic canopy, modified nose with APG-67(V) radar, same fuel capacity as the F-5G, and optional Sparrow capability. The 1986 production standard had the larger 200 square foot wing, uprated F404-GE-100A (18,000 lbf), jet fuel starter, increased internal fuel capacity, re-designed nose with APG-67 Extended Range Radar, and wider-FOV HUD. The 1986 production standard was going to be represented by prototypes 4 and 5, and was intended to more or less compete with the F-16C, but proto 4 wasn't finished by the time of project termination and thus never flew. I believe the Air Defense Fighter sub-type was going to be based on the 1986 production standard, but with some further modification (and would've been represented by prototype 6).

Northrop had some other interesting design studies that featured even larger wings/LERXs, uprated engines, and additional hardpoints. Sadly none were ever explored further than just conceptual models, aside from the 1986 production standard.

 

[Foo Fighter]

........
Northrop had some other interesting design studies that featured even larger wings/LERXs, uprated engines, and additional hardpoints. Sadly none were ever explored further than just conceptual models, aside from the 1986 production standard.

Thanks mate.