Author Topic: America Wants More Stealth F-35s, New F-15X Fighters (And This Really Old Jet)  (Read 317 times)

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rangerrebew

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March 14, 2019

America Wants More Stealth F-35s, New F-15X Fighters (And This Really Old Jet)

Why?
by David Axe

The U.S. Defense Department's $718-billion budget proposal for 2020 asks Congress to pay for hundreds of the latest warplanes, including F-35 stealth fighters, F-15X air-superiority fighters, CV-22 supply tiltrotors and MQ-25 tanker drones.

But one seemingly odd budget line in the Navy's portion of the request asks for $40 million to acquire 22 used F-5E/F Tiger fighters from Switzerland. The F-5s are at least 35 years old and unsophisticated. But they would play an important role in U.S. service.

The Navy plans to modify the F-5s with new avionics, data-links and radar-jammers, bringing them up to the latest F-5N standard. The 12-ton, radar-equipped, supersonic fighters then would serve as "adversaries" in the Navy and Marine Corps, playing the role of enemy fighters in war games and other training.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/america-wants-more-stealth-f-35s-new-f-15x-fighters-and-really-old-jet-47437
« Last Edit: March 15, 2019, 11:04:12 am by rangerrebew »