US Air Force Wants a 4.5 or 5th Gen close to F-35, F-21 for India

Lockheed Martin offers F-21 for India exclusively, but the USAF will get another option. The upgraded F-16 is a good option, but the U.S. wants a new design from the ground up.

The Air Force did not procure the offered updated F-16, so it was provided to India with options. Instead, the U.S. wants a 4.5 or 5th generation fighter without the expense of an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Why the Updated F-21 jet will be a good option

The updated fighting falcon said the manufacturer is tweaked to the Indian Air Force's needs (IAF), even options to have the technology to make it 'Made in India.' This is a rare opportunity for India to have a foot in modern aircraft manufacturing reported Eurasian Times. Sources say that Lockheed Martin and Tata will make it in a joint production deal in India.

Designed and developed by General Dynamics, the single-engine, supersonic, all-weather F-16 has been in service with the U.S. since 1974. Since then, has been flying with many air forces around the world too.

The F-16s were made well and served longer than expected but getting old when new planes like the F-35 and F-22 are needed and upkeep. Plans for newer and better planes mean the Fighting Falcon needs a better 4.5 or 5th generation fighter in a slimmed-down version of either F-35 or F-22. The F-21 for India is an option for the IAF.

Also read: Upgraded American F-16s to Deter Aggression in the Taiwan Strait

Legacy F-16 will get a real successor

Concern for the Fighting Falcon's future prompts a study of what plane will succeed the legacy fighter, said Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr. on the project. The design will be a clean-sheet design that will be the new 'F-16'. But, it affects the planned shift to F-35A that is slated for 1,763 units.

Brown introduced a four-and-a-half-gen or fifth-gen-minus that will replace the F-16 Viper, the most modern version of F-16. He used to fly F-16s as an instructor and said the project for an advanced F-16 that will be cheaper without the stealth.

The TacAir study will summarize what the U.S. Air Force will need to get the best mix for the chosen planes. One aspect is the cost and how fast the designs can get from paper to actual flight. One of the expenses controlling programs will be Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) which decides who gets the contract said, Brown.

CAPE program will be part of a process that will determine how to develop projects from scratch. If the project is good and won't cost much, it will get the signal from the higher-ups, and the USAF decides where it goes.

Plans for 2023

Brown said decisions are needed before the fiscal year 2023 to line up what projects will get funded. Will Roper (Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) said the F-16 (Block 70/72 version) would be an option to add for the USAF tactical fleet.

But Brown thinks it is better for a 4.5 or 5th generation fighter will be better for the long term. Not extending the life of an aging airframe like the F-16V. He added the lack of upgradable options makes them less capable. So, the F-21 for India makes sense in exporting it.

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