BEST FIGHTER FOR CANADA

We finally know what all the contenders to replace the venerable T-38 Talon will look like. After teasing us for months , Boeing finally unveiled its entry into the T-X competition with much pomp and fanfare.  This follows a less ceremonial unveiling of Northrop-Grumman's clean sheet design.  The two other contenders, proposed by Lockheed and Raytheon, are modifications to existing designs. The goal of the T-X program is to provide a "lead in" jet trainer for high performance aircraft found in the USAF.  This includes (but is not limited to) aircraft like the F-22, F-35, and B-21.  As military aircraft become more advanced, there has emerged a need for a trainer that mirrors these advances.  The venerable T-38 is no longer a suitable aircraft for this, being a 50-year-old design. The requirements for the T-X dictate an aerial refueling receptacle and give preference for high maneuverability .   The ability to make a sustained 6.5 g turn is ...

T-38 in "Aggressor" paint. The USAF has yet to declare an open competition to replace its venerable T-38 Talon trainer.  Despite this all signs point to this one as "one-to-watch".  Competitors would very much like to prove that they still have the chops to build a fighter-type aircraft.  At its current pace, this could very well turn into another " Battle of the X-Planes ". As the USAF finalizes the capabilities it wants for the T-X, more manufacturers are deciding to forego license-building proven designs and will offer "clean sheet" designs instead. Boeing, which has partnered up with Swedish-based Saab, was the first to do this .  This despite the initial rumors of a "downgraded" Gripen being used as the basis. Northrop Grumman, soon after taking the lead over from its partner, BAE, has decided that it will also develop a clean sheet design instead of offering a version of BAE's Hawk .  While some were rather surpr...

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Imagine a military combat aircraft that first flew in 1954 and is still flying today.  No, it's not the B-52 .  This aircraft has played major roles in the air over Vietnam, the Falklands, and the Yom Kippur War.  It replaced the F-4 Phantom as the jet of choice for the USN's Blue Angels  demonstration team.  This aircraft even played a supporting role in Top Gun . Now...  What if I told you that the first 500 examples of this aircraft cost $7.5 million each, adjusted for inflation? The Douglas (soon to be McDonnell Douglas, then Boeing) A-4 Skyhawk was designed from the outset to be a small, light, simple, inexpensive attack aircraft that could be operated from the USN's aircraft carrier fleet.  It's chief designer, Ed Heinemann , really knocked it out of the park.  The A-4 weighed about half of the USN's desired specs.  Unlike most carrier based aircraft, the A-4 doesn't need folding wings.  The Skyhawk earn...

Everybody likes a team-up! For those of you that have missed it, big news happened the other day.  After a few months of dropping hints  and some wild speculation , Boeing and Saab have officially announced that they are forming a joint partnership to develop a contender for the USAF's T-X program . Both companies could use the boost.  Boeing hasn't had the best of luck selling fighters lately.  Meanwhile, Saab seems to really have trouble locking down Gripen sales.  With T-X numbers expected to run anywhere from 350-1000, it's likely to keep both companies in the fighter 'business for the foreseeable future. Saab Gripen used for the Empire Test Pilot's School (ETPS) Surprisingly, Boeing and Saab have announced that their T-X bid will be an all new, "clean sheet" design.  Many, including myself, Guessed that Saab and Boeing would merely offer a stripped down Gripen.  This would have the benefit of offering a proven, low cost design...

For the record:  I predicted Saab's involvement in the T-X program way back in May. Due for replacement, the T-38 Talon. USAF's long delayed T-X program to replace the T-38 Talon trainer may find itself with another challenger soon, thanks to a possible collaberation between American aerospace giant Boeing and that scrappy Swedish company, Saab. BAE Hawk KAI T-50 "Golden Eagle" Alenia Aermacchi M-346 "Master" Other contenders have suggested updated and "Americanized" versions of existing designs.  Lockheed has proposed a version of the South Korean KAI T-50 "Golden Eagle".  Northrop Grumman has partnered with BAE to offer the Hawk T2/128.  Meanwhile, Italian manufacturer Alenia Aermacchi has offered up its M-346 "Master". Boeing had initially intended to field an all-new design on its own, recent buzz indicates that it may be in the stages of partnering with Saab to develop a T-X contender. This cou...