BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

What happens when the F-22 and F-35 get busy and have a baby? Lately, the idea of a "hybrid" between the F-22 and F-35 seems to be gaining steam.  First proposed to Japan when its self-designed F-3 project fell through, Lockheed is now pitching the idea to The Pentagon . This (sort of) new fighter would take the more modern sensors, avionics, and other newer technology found in the F-35 and modify them to fit the F-22 Raptor.  This new enhanced Raptor would also sport a more modern stealth coating that promises to require maintenance. It is not a bad idea.  Such a beast would not only offer improved capabilities for the F-22, but could actually result in lower flying costs. This new fighter (F-22B?  F-22E?  F-22X?  F-28.5?) would improve on the Raptor's exceptional air-to-air capabilities.  One of the F-22's current weak spots is the absence of any sort of IRST.  The addition of DAS (Distributed Aperture System), combined with a h...

Turkish TFX concept (that one in the middle looks kinda familiar...) You would think that talk of a JSF "death spiral" would encourage the Pentagon to cling on to every potential F-35 sale like a hungry dog with a turkey leg.  Recent events in Turkey would suggest otherwise, however.  A recent decision to purchase Chinese missile  defense systems has the potential of getting Turkey kicked out of the JSF club . Like Canada, Turkey is a "Level 3 Partner" in the JSF program.  Unlike Canada, however, Turkey is much more committed to the program, looking at ordering 100 (vs 65) airframes in total and possibly buying its first two within months.   The F-35 won't be Turkey's only fighter however, as it recently purchased some F-16s , not to mention plans on an indigenous fifth generation fighter design (with a little help from Saab). Proposed KAI KFX design. Turkey isn't the only country working on its own "5th generation" stealth fig...