posted on Jan, 11 2012 @ 02:43 PM
Ok was playing ace combat (I know I know nerd and all that) and it has got me thinking, what if the Tomcat program had never been scrapped. Lets say
that in this scenario the disaster known as the A12 Avenger never happened. Instead the funding wasted on that failed program had been diverted at the
last minute to the Tomcat program. What would we be seeing now? I know the Tomcat was limited by the age of the design but would we be seeing
something similar to the Hornet program with the aircraft superseding it self with a "Super" version. So for example a F14-F Super Tomcat? And would
we then see Northrop Grumman using their knowledge of stealth design to alter the F14 design enough to give it an increased stealth element?
I would personally like to think that had the Avenger Program been scrapped at the last minute in order to divert much needed fund to the Tomcat
Program then the aircraft would have been developed and upgraded significantly. I also imagine that it would be possible to greatly increase the range
and payload capacity while at the same time reducing weight due to the advancements in materials. We might also have seen the aircraft shrink in size
due to modern components not requiring as much room as those found in the original aircraft. I imagine that the US Airforce would have been tempted to
reconsider the Tomcat had it been upgraded and developed in such a way that it proved the F15 obsolete. Of course the Airforce would still be funding
the F22 and F35 but would have considered the Tomcat as a (if the extra funds were managed properly) cheaper and more reliable option to replace the
older F15s with to compliment the Strike Eagle.
Right I have gone on a bit but I would be interested to see what Ideas people can come up with for this and other scenarios. On a side note had the
Tomcat Program received extra funding the Hornet would probably not be about but, we would still have the Cats'.