Is there a possible fit for the F16-XL? Is there a migration path for an existing F-16 to the lamanar flow wing on the XL?

Does the addition of additional hardpoints available on the XL fill a need the F-35 was going to fill?

=-Rich

They should not upgrade there current planes, they should stick with them until the JSF.

I personaly hate it when they do this, they take money from the F-35 to upgrade the fleet that their trying to replace, while then the spiral effect then sets the F-35's date back further, which then makes its order number fall which makes the price per plane go up, so on and so on.

This is for intelgurl, You might as well place F-35's, etc in the roundfile considering developmental " Flying Aircraft Carriers" with pilotless drones carrying antiship, AA, ARM, Hellfire, Extended range Cruise missiles,etc. Where the In flight aircraft carrier is the launch platform and command post. Kind Regards, Abajootz

Originally posted by abajootz
This is for intelgurl, You might as well place F-35's, etc in the roundfile considering developmental " Flying Aircraft Carriers" with pilotless drones carrying antiship, AA, ARM, Hellfire, Extended range Cruise missiles,etc. Where the In flight aircraft carrier is the launch platform and command post. Kind Regards, Abajootz

That's great!
And just who did you say had the contract on this "Flying Aircraft Carrier" project concept - and how much money has been allocated for this development?
Links would be nice...

a flying aircraft carrier would be rather dangerous,exspensive,ineffective,vunerable and a massive under takeing.
now a UCAV is fine but they dont offer the same kind of skill as a fighter pilot on the scene. i mean a camera can get damaged and you wont see anything. a UCAV is the cheap way to replace fighters. now a plane with a fully trained pilot can out do a UCAV in combat with a computer nerd at the back, there is the jamming bit as well and the whole delay thing.

One great thing about the delays in the JSF is that the Netherlands, which already has out-year budget allocated for them, now will probably take the money and upgrade their fleet of AH-64D Longbow Apaches to the Block 3 configuration, with the work being done here in Mesa.

As far as upgrading the Lockmart F-16 or the Boeing F-15 as interim aircraft, I do not see that happening at all. Perhaps the services would order more of the latest block mods, but, given the need for all the non-recurring IOT&E funds, as well as a huge logistics tail for anything new, it just wouldn't be cost-effective to upgrade either Aluminum Rodan or the Lawn Dart unless they cancelled both the F-22 and F-35 -- which, of course, they won't.

Anyone remembering the terrible labor pains for the (stillborn) F-20 can understand how a logistics tail can kill an aircraft -- no matter how well designed -- deader'n a doornail.

One very possible benefit to Boeing, given the delays in fielding the JSF (besides the Netherlands Apache upgrades) would be a need for additional F/A-18E/F and EA-18s for the Navy and the Marines.

From Janes:

Slimmed-down JSF back on track
Lockheed Martin has announced that its design team has managed to shed problem weight from the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), reduce drag and up the propulsion efficiency of its innovative Pratt and Whitney power plant, to get the aircraft back to its fighting weight.

Beautiful shot of one of the USNs Large Zepplin Airships of the 1920s and 30s. There was the "Los Angeles" the "Macon and the "Akron" from memory. The parasite fighters were trialled on the Macon from memory using a trapeze set up where the aircraft could launch recover and be hauled up into the hangar for maintenance. The idea was to provide up to four fighters for self defence and a couple of observation planes for spotting duties. I believe the experimental fighters were Curtiss Sparrowhawk biplane fighters. I don't know if they built the Observation aircraft. I beleive at least 2 of the three airships were lost in severe storms, killing the project.

It was resurected by the USAF at the end of WW2 to provide a very ugly and stubby little jet fighter for special B-29s called the Hobgoblin (experimental only) and tested in the late 40s and early 50s on specially modified Convair B-36 Peacemakers under the FICON (FIghter Carried ON) project using a specially modified Thunderjet Fighter....for the purposes of fighter escort on nuclear missions against the USSR in the 1950s.

In one of my books I have a couple of nice shots of the USN Airships, inclusing LA approaching the mooring mast at (is it) Lakehurst, NJ. There are also close up photos from the launch station onboard of them launching a Sparrowhawk during trials.

Sorry.Back on topic.

[edit on 12-11-2004 by craigandrew]

Originally posted by jetsetter
I do not believe that the time will be moved as far back as you have stated.

I'm just going by what Lt. Col. Gregory Johnson, Deputy Chief of the JSF System Management Organization said at a meeting at Langley last week. His assessment was that the F-35's weight-loss program delayed the IOC by as little as 1 yr and as much as 18 months.
This is something that ACC chief Gen. Hal Hornburg has collaborated as well.
I hope you're right though, 'cause we need it operational ASAP.

[edit on 12-11-2004 by intelgurl]