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Light Fighters


Clark Griswold

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Yep, better platform than a light fighter is required for things like this + power + real estate on the aircraft for apertures/radio connectivity. I agree 100%.

Cool
To expand further it would be one of several new / repurposed platforms that could perform the UCAV Tactical Coordinator Mission
Manned Light Fighter
Manned C2 - Sensor High Flyer
KC-46 / E-7 additional capability
Manned Rotary Wing platform with this capability

If this is a capability to be performed by different platforms at different times and different conditions then a common pod based cape with a common software for platforms like light fighter and tanker with the C2 platforms having it organic and likely in a more robust form as I see it as part of their primary mission sets, the former platforms it would be a alternate mission set but that is just a thought with no testing / real analysis. If implemented it could be the optimal solution is very different.


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On 2/12/2022 at 8:47 AM, 12xu2a3x3 said:

assume he's referring to the capability to interfere with links with respect to the platforms being unmanned and i agree

Yeah I figured...there's more to it than that, and there's very good reasoning for unmanned/manned teaming in certain aspects of future war. Don't think in today's tech, think tomorrow's tech...which clearly is a rhetorical process in this forum.

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  • 1 year later...

Trainer / Light fighters in the news...

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/t-7-arrives-at-edwards-usaf-eyeing-light-fighter-version#:~:text=T-7 Arrives At Edwards%2C USAF Eyeing Light Fighter Version

and from SK...

KAI Charts Out Single-Seat FA-50 Road Map | Aviation Week Network

F-7 concept art...

desktop-wallpaper-aoa-simulations-t-boei

New FA-50 concept...

single_seat_fa-50_photo_by_kim_min_seok.

 

From The WZ article:  "What is clear is that we can't afford to police the Super Bowl with an F-22," the same individual told Jennings in Madrid.

Price and allies needing cheaper iron that will integrate well with all their other systems... this should be driving this idea higher on the AF to do list.

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This type of thing absolutely needs to happen so we don’t fly the wings off of the F-35’s, B-21’s, and NGAD’s when we get involved in Afghanistan 2.0 in ten years. Won’t happen, but should.

Concur but one can still argue on BO for it and other lost causes…

Light capabilities in general are needed for MOOTW (dating myself with that term but it captures a lot of what we do now and likely in the future)

Light air mobility, light fighter, low footprint high endurance RPA, ACE light logistics, etc… just my retired guard bubba cents but this could doctrinally fit into the Guard or AFSOC (sts) with the right leadership seeing that we will be deterring and occasionally fighting in places other than the SCS against the forces of chaos with capes that require not a sledgehammer but a small hammer


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1 hour ago, Clark Griswold said:


Concur but one can still argue on BO for it and other lost causes…

Light capabilities in general are needed for MOOTW (dating myself with that term but it captures a lot of what we do now and likely in the future)

Light air mobility, light fighter, low footprint high endurance RPA, ACE light logistics, etc… just my retired guard bubba cents but this could doctrinally fit into the Guard or AFSOC (sts) with the right leadership seeing that we will be deterring and occasionally fighting in places other than the SCS against the forces of chaos with capes that require not a sledgehammer but a small hammer


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I was thinking the exact same thing for AFSOC. 

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I was thinking the exact same thing for AFSOC. 

Yup, one could argue this is what the USMC is supposed to do (small wars as historically these things were called) but as they are pivoting to a different force structure and as most operations are joint this is where the USAF could take the lead and build a light AF to integrate with the other components light forces
As the unnamed official in the quote expressed, we can’t afford to fly exquisite iron on routine missions
It’s the requirements using history and a sober assessment of likely missions as a guide to build out this collection of platforms & systems
X amount of pallets per day between FOBs, X amount of CAPs when supporting a stabilization force of X size, etc… these missions would overlap with other NG and ANG missions


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More on light fighters, Indian industry concept:

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2023-02-20/hindustan-aeronautics-unveils-lead-fighter-trainer-project
 

Sounds kinda like the F-20 or the Textron Scorpion as there’s no IAF requirement or RFP but Hindustan Aeronautics sees a market opportunity 

Edited by Clark Griswold
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