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Why There's a “New” American Fighter Called the F-21 - F-21 India 2.png ...



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 21st 19, 12:37 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Miloch
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 24,291
Default Why There's a “New” American Fighter Called the F-21 - F-21 India 2.png ...

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...d-fighter-jet/

Lockheed Martin has announced a fighter jet it calls the F-21. The single-seat
fighter is packed with missiles, modern sensors, and can engage in both
air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. It’s not exactly “new” though—the rest of
the world knows this plane as the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

For years, Lockheed has been lobbying India for a fighter contract in excess of
100 jets. Why? Because it saw a window of opportunity. India traditionally
bought its defense tech from the Soviet Union and Russia, but recently, the
hugely populous nation has been on a roll buying American military technology,
including the P-8 Poseidon and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

Now, India is seeking a foreign fighter for its air force. There’s stiff
competition between Lockheed’s F-16, Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the
Swedish Gripen, French Rafale, European Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russian jets.
To break through the logjam, Lockheed decided it needed to upgrade its offering

The latest version of the F-16, officially dubbed the F-16 Block 70, is a
thoroughly modern fighter jet. The original F-16 was introduced in the 1970s,
but the new jet is a different beast thanks to advanced avionics, the APG-83
active electronically scanned array radar, above-wing fuel tanks for increased
range, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system. The Block 70 also has
a structural service life of 12,000 hours, compared to just 8,000 hours for
earlier versions of the F-16.

https://youtu.be/VNIwVxhwLPM

The fact that this upgraded jet is still called an "F-16," however, is both a
blessing and a curse. On one hand, the F-16 has an excellent reputation and is
in service with nearly 30 air forces around the world. On the other hand, well,
it's old. Not to worry, though, because Lockheed came up with a marketing
solution: Rebrand the plane as the “F-21.” This is not an official designation,
but it does help shed the perception of an aging jet.

The “F-21” also has some tricks the Block 70 doesn’t have. Lockheed's
promotional video shows the fighter with a remarkable ten missiles—eight medium
range, radar-guided AMRAAM missiles plus two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. The
F-21 can be seen carrying a Sniper electro-optical targeting pod, also produced
by Lockheed Martin. In service with the U.S. Air Force, the Sniper pod provides
HD forward-looking infrared (also known as thermal imaging), a dual mode laser,
video data link, and digital data recorder. The F-21 also features an aerial
refueling probe for refueling using the drogue system and a huge flat panel
cockpit display.

India doesn't just want a new fighter. It wants to produce the new fighter
locally, which would be a substantial boost to the country’s defense industrial
base. To wit, Lockheed Martin has offered to move F-16 production from Fort
Worth, Texas to India if the country chooses the F-16 (or F-21). This would be a
win-win for Lockmart since the company probably needs the space at Fort Worth to
ramp up production of the F-35 anyway. And India eventually could build planes
for future, non-American F-16 customers.

As neat as this new fighter is, you won’t see the U.S. Air Force flying it
anytime soon. The Air Force is fully committed to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
program, and while it might upgrade some existing F-16s in the service to
include some technology in the F-21, there is very little chance the service
will purchase new F-16s (I mean, F-21s). While the Air Force may in fact buy new
F-15X fighters, the new version of the Eagle complements rather than competes
with the F-35.





*

  #2  
Old February 21st 19, 08:14 AM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Daniel GREGOIRE[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 9
Default Why There's a ?New? American Fighter Called the F-21 - F-21 India 2.png ...

In article ,
Miloch wrote:

https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...-lockheed-figh
ter-jet/

Lockheed Martin has announced a fighter jet it calls the F-21. The
single-seat
fighter is packed with missiles, modern sensors, and can engage in both
air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. It?s not exactly ?new? though?the rest
of
the world knows this plane as the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

For years, Lockheed has been lobbying India for a fighter contract in excess
of
100 jets. Why? Because it saw a window of opportunity. India traditionally
bought its defense tech from the Soviet Union and Russia, but recently, the
hugely populous nation has been on a roll buying American military
technology,
including the P-8 Poseidon and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

Now, India is seeking a foreign fighter for its air force. There?s stiff
competition between Lockheed?s F-16, Boeing?s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the
Swedish Gripen, French Rafale, European Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russian
jets.
To break through the logjam, Lockheed decided it needed to upgrade its
offering

The latest version of the F-16, officially dubbed the F-16 Block 70, is a
thoroughly modern fighter jet. The original F-16 was introduced in the 1970s,
but the new jet is a different beast thanks to advanced avionics, the APG-83
active electronically scanned array radar, above-wing fuel tanks for
increased
range, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system. The Block 70 also
has
a structural service life of 12,000 hours, compared to just 8,000 hours for
earlier versions of the F-16.

https://youtu.be/VNIwVxhwLPM

The fact that this upgraded jet is still called an "F-16," however, is both a
blessing and a curse. On one hand, the F-16 has an excellent reputation and
is
in service with nearly 30 air forces around the world. On the other hand,
well,
it's old. Not to worry, though, because Lockheed came up with a marketing
solution: Rebrand the plane as the ?F-21.? This is not an official
designation,
but it does help shed the perception of an aging jet.

The ?F-21? also has some tricks the Block 70 doesn?t have. Lockheed's
promotional video shows the fighter with a remarkable ten missiles?eight
medium
range, radar-guided AMRAAM missiles plus two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. The
F-21 can be seen carrying a Sniper electro-optical targeting pod, also
produced
by Lockheed Martin. In service with the U.S. Air Force, the Sniper pod
provides
HD forward-looking infrared (also known as thermal imaging), a dual mode
laser,
video data link, and digital data recorder. The F-21 also features an aerial
refueling probe for refueling using the drogue system and a huge flat panel
cockpit display.

India doesn't just want a new fighter. It wants to produce the new fighter
locally, which would be a substantial boost to the country?s defense
industrial
base. To wit, Lockheed Martin has offered to move F-16 production from Fort
Worth, Texas to India if the country chooses the F-16 (or F-21). This would
be a
win-win for Lockmart since the company probably needs the space at Fort Worth
to
ramp up production of the F-35 anyway. And India eventually could build
planes
for future, non-American F-16 customers.

As neat as this new fighter is, you won?t see the U.S. Air Force flying it
anytime soon. The Air Force is fully committed to the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter
program, and while it might upgrade some existing F-16s in the service to
include some technology in the F-21, there is very little chance the service
will purchase new F-16s (I mean, F-21s). While the Air Force may in fact buy
new
F-15X fighters, the new version of the Eagle complements rather than competes
with the F-35.





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Well the last fighter in the standard numerical serie was the Northrop
F-20 (ex F-5G) who disappear when the sale of F-16 was allowed so
renaming the F-16 as F-21 is rather humorous. If I remember well the
F-21 designation was used for the IAI Kfir (no more in service).
  #3  
Old February 21st 19, 07:32 PM posted to alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
R2D2
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 65
Default Why There's a ?New? American Fighter Called the F-21 - F-21 India 2.png ...


Well the last fighter in the standard numerical serie was the Northrop
F-20 (ex F-5G) who disappear when the sale of F-16 was allowed so
renaming the F-16 as F-21 is rather humorous. If I remember well the
F-21 designation was used for the IAI Kfir (no more in service).


The name F-21 is a PR move; makes it look like a brand new plane just
for India.
 




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