Atilla [TR];135083 said:
Would it be possible to create a stealth fighter(F-35 like with no internal bays) from the Ground up with the characteristics of the F-14 but with stealth this I would see as the wests premier interceptor to verse the SU 37. Some stuff I would add is thrust vectoring a new jet engine (obviously) and small canards at the front right next to the cockpit for better maneuverability.
Um, maybe but why on gods green earth would you want to?
Why would you want a VLO fighter without internal weapons bays? Wouldnt that kind of be counterproductive?
Why would you redesign an F-14 for this purpose, the airframe is retired and the platfrom was allways unterpowered anyway? F-15 would be a better option. The biggest advantage the Tomcat had originally was its radar/missile combo not its speed, AWG 9 & AIM 54. These have long been superseeded anyway.
The F-22A is by far the best interceptor in the world as it is now, why dont we just build more F-22A's? A raptor would eat a flight of SU 37's (or more accuratly SU-35's) for breakfeast. It would still be 4 times the interceptor your imaginary F-14 would be.
By the way the Su-37 is only a technology demonstrator, it will never be a front line fighter. The SU-35 is likely to be the last flanker to see service before the T-50 (PAK-FA) replaces it, therefore SU 37 will only ever be a tech demonstrator. What that means is that its not a working figher, it needs all of that stuff like a combat management system, last I read it never even had a radar installed.
As for the canards and TVC, their not much good in a HOBS heater environment are they? Why not concentrate on the things that will actually help you in BVR like AESA radars, EW/EWSP, engines and missiles? In real terms the F/A-18F BII has more lethality in both A2A and A2G than the F-14D ever did, so again why on earth would you bother?
