somewhere, PukinDog is laughing...
Posted on 11/29/2015 8:12:51 PM PST by Mariner
The U.S. Air Force might buy 72 upgraded F-15, F-16 or even F-18 fighter aircraft due to low F-35 production rates and the high cost of the F-35.
The U.S. Air Force “is struggling to afford 48 F-35s a year†for the first years of full-rate production a senior Air Force officer told Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.
Full rate-production is slated to begin in 2019 and the U.S. Air Force wants to buy 60 planes in 2020, and 80 F-35 per year after that. This year, the Air Force is to receive 28 F-35s, whereas in 2016 the number is slated to increase to 44. By 2038, the service wants to have 1763 F-35 aircraft in service. However, this procurement schedule might not be financially feasible for the Air Force.
F-15s and F-16s will serve longer and will outnumber F-35s and F-22s through the late 2020s.
Boeing is proposing an “F-15 2040C†series of upgrades that would extend the life of the fourth-generation F-15C air superiority fighter to complement the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor. The 2040 version would double to 16 the number of air-to-air missiles the fighter carries, extend its range and improve its lethality and survivability with upgraded electronics.
An F-15 2040C would also extend the fighter’s production line in St. Louis, which with 84 F-15SAs destined for Saudi Arabia has firm orders through 2019. Boeing previously offered a stealthy “Silent Eagle†version for South Korea’s F-X III fighter competition, but that country last year settled on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for the requirement.
(Excerpt) Read more at nextbigfuture.com ...
> By 2038, the service wants to have 1763 F-35 aircraft in service. However, this procurement schedule might not be financially feasible for the Air Force.
Ain’t gonna happen. It’s going to turn out like the numbers for the F-22.
84 F-15SAs destined for Saudi Arabia
Isis or the Iranians will end up with those if we don’t have a rescue plan for them.
That's why we need to keep the production lines open for the 15 and 16...even the FA18.
Otherwise we got nuthin'.
Rescue, or destroy on the ground.
In 2039 none of it will be manned.
somewhere, PukinDog is laughing...
F-15 and 16 are far better planes.
The Air Force should have pulled the plug on the POS F-35 years ago.
Is the F22 still bogged down by that Oxygen problem?
The upgraded radar and combat systems in these new F-15c's will have the ability for datalinks to control UAVs.
Pair a new F-15c, or F-35 for that matter, with 2-4 UAVs capable of Mach 2+ and 15G, and you have a winning combination.
But, certainly, UAVs will be the majority of air frames in the air by then.
“1763 F-35 aircraft in service...”
That will never happen.
Agree with you about the UAV’s and that this would be a very wise purchase by the Air Force.
The F-15 and F-16 are proven systems we already know.
The F-22 is a good platform. Should have stuck with it.
I agree. I don’t know why we are putting money into a manned new generation bomber.
>>>Boeing previously offered a stealthy “Silent Eagle†version for South Korea’s F-X III fighter competition, but that country last year settled on the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for the requirement<<<
South Korea really screwed up with that decision.
Sure be nice to buy some hardware if we’re so intent of starting World War 3 with the Russians.
The F15 and F16 are outdated compared to the SU-37.
I agree. We need something against the T-50.
To bad they got rid of the F-14 Tomcat.
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