Pretty much everything in the link below has been talked about in detail on this site already, but this piece does underline the reality that the Navy’s F/A-XX pipe-dream is looking more like an updated F-22, similar to the long defunct NATF program, than anything else. The idea that the Navy will be able to afford putting another clean sheet design high-end fighter platform into production in the next couple of decades or so, even if the programs get’s merged with emerging USAF requirements to become a joint USAF/NAVY program, seems absurd and totally unrealistic. The replacement for the F/A-18E/F/G in the 2030 time-frame will be most likely more F-35Cs and/or unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_14_2012_p43-453524.xml&p=1
This is you opinion than FA/XX is absurd. Do you think you can supply Super Hornet with F-35 its impossible F-35 is not a good interceptor and you want to see 4th gen fighter indefinitly?Let the Navy become a 21 century force with new plane and stop talking all the time about the cost because with that China will become the first power of this century. Go strong Navy with new tech and new plane, and passionate enjoy see your FA/XX programm begin.
Huh? Dark Sidius, man I would love the F/A-XX to happen, I wish it happened years ago instead of the F-35C. I have written about this at length. Do you think wanting something bad enough will make it appear out of thin air? The reality is there is not enough money, this is not my fault or my wish its just the world how I see it. I have said before that if the Navy wants the F/A-XX it should cancel the F-35 now and look at fielding the system by mid-2020s buying Supers in the gap. I would love to live in fantasy land on these topics and say we should build whatever is technologically possible but that is a fiscal impossibility. Simple as that.
Ok I agree, Navy must cancel the F-35C because of is poor performance and start jumping on FA/XX. I think Navy will buy a little number of F-35, and after start rapidly on this new programm, and to match futur plane like J-20, F-35 is not enough and I think Navy know that.