Your Own Creation

I was in a creative mood and I thought I’d do a little thread where you post your ideas for your own fighter. Take any existing (in service or in development) fighter (or attack aircraft) you want and make your own upgrades/modifications to it. I just was curious what people would come up with. I of course would use the F-4 as my airframe for my fighter. Here’s what I’d do.

I’d use an airframe based on the F-4E. The cannon would be the newer lightweight M61A2 20-mm Vulcan Cannon. The radar would be a more advanced variant of the AN/APG-77 in the F-22 that would have LO technology plus a multitude of A/G modes in addition to the A/A modes already inherent in the system. I’d fit a more advanced derivative of the ASX-1 TISEO in its usual spot, and I’d fit a miniturized version of the Litening II targeting pod inside the opposite wing in the same spot as the TISEO equipment. It would have all the capabilities of the Litening. The aircraft would have a totally redesigned canopy which would be two-piece with wrap-around windscreen and slightly more bulged overall for better visibility. The engines would be the 40,000-lb. class JSF119 that powers the F-35. The aircraft would have the latest MIL-STD-1760 databus for compability with the latest range of weapons. The crew would have the JHMCS for use with the AIM-9X. The air intakes and spillter plates would be redesigned in a similar manner to the proposed F-4X/RF-4X proposal so that Mach 3 speeds would potentially be possible. The aircraft would be slightly larger with increased internal fuel capacity. There would be the option to fit conformal fuel tanks on the upper sides of the fuselage, in addition to the three external tanks. The aircraft has both a retractable probe and a retractable refueling port as aerial refuelling options. The airframe sitll has the arrestor hook and the jet is carrier capable if necessary, including the extending nosewheel of the F-4K (Phantom FG.1) if it is ever needed for whatever reason. The aircraft is painted with RAM in many places and the canopy is gold tinted to reduce radar cross section.

Both cockpits would have HOTAS controls and the cockpit would be a “glass cockpit” with some of the older style instruments for backup if necessary. The HUD would be a wide-angle holographic type. Advanced IFF would be fitted as well as IRST buried in the nose.

As far as weapons go this new Phantom would be capable of firing any AIM-9, AIM-7, or AIM-120 variant, plus the IRIS-T, Meteor BVRAAM, MICA EM/IR, Skyflash, or AIM-132 ASRAAM. The gun would have 820 rounds of ammunition.

The A/G weapons suite would consist of any variant of the following: AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-78 Standard, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84 SLAM (including SLAM-ER), GBU-31/32 JDAM (GBU-38 too…..I think that’s the upcoming 500-lb. version?), GBU-10/12/16/24/27/28 LGB’s, Mk-82/83/84 (including BLU-109 and BLU-110 penetrator warheads for the Mk-83/84), Mk-62/65 Quickstrike mines, BLU-107 Durandal, BL.755, CBU-87/89/97 SFW cluster bombs, WCMD (forget all the designations), AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-123 Skipper, AGM-142 Popeye, AGM-130 Ripper, GBU-15, AGM-62 Walleye, LAU-10 ZUNI rocket pods, LAU-3/68 HYDRA rocket pods, Mk-77 napalm canisters, B28/43/57/61 tactical nuclear weapons, various new types of recce pods, datalink pods for guided-glide weapons, latest ECM pods (ALQ-184, etc.), tow targets, towed decoys, and of coures MXU-648 baggage pods. 🙂

The 610-gallon tank would still be available for the centerline while newly designed 400-gallon tanks would be for each outboard wing hardpoint.

My pretend-specifications are as follows:

F-4X Phantom 2000+

First Flight: May 27, 2005
Crew: Two- Pilot & WSO
Type: Two-seat multi-role fighter
Powerplant: Two JSF119 afterburning turbofans (40,000-lb. st each when in full afterburner)
Length: 68 feet
Height: 17 feet
Wingspan: 42 feet
Empty weight: 40,000 pounds
Maximum T/O Weight; 85,000 pounds
Internal Fuel: 15,000 pounds
Conformal Tank Fuel: 7,000 pounds
External Tank Fuel: 9,870 pounds
Maximum Warload: 22,000 pounds on eleven hardpoints (three under each wing, one centerline, four semi-recessed)
Maximum Combat Radius: 1,500 m iles
Maximum Range on Internal Fuel (no conformal tanks): 2,800 miles
Maximum Range on Full Fuel (all internal plus conformal and external): 4,000 miles
Maximum Speed: Mach 3.0 (2,000 mph) at 40,000 feet
Mach 1.4 (1,000 mph) at sea level
G-Limits- +8/-3
Service Ceiling: 70,000 feet
Maximum Rate of Climb: 70,000 feet per minute

I’m sure all you guys are laughing at me, but I just thought I’d have a little fun and see what my mind could come up with.