USAF Operations

With figures like that no wonder the U.S. is going broke.

Related Information

That claim was about the limited early variants exported from 1974 seen as inferior to the F-4s with some justification. In the late 70s it was no longer true, at least when operated in the related network. 😎

I am waiting on info like that and about USAF MiG-29 and Su-27 operations to come to light.

JNFF

Look at the NATO countries that require replacement or creation of a new air policing capability and there’s potential for real economies of scale if a joint approach is undertaken (and where there is not yet commitment to F-35):

Albania (new)
Denmark (F-16)
Belgium (F-16)
Czech Republic (JAS-39 Gripen – lease expiring).
Latvia/Estonia/Lithuania – new
Croatia (MiG-21)
Slovenia (new)
Romania – MiG-21
Slovakia – MiG-29
Bulgaria – MiG-21/-29/Su-25

That’s up to a couple of hundred aircraft.

And later on there’s Spain (F/A-18A/B) and Portugal (F-16A/B) – another 100 odd aircraft.

The J-35/Eurofighter/Rafale are over kill for many of these operators and too costly to operate.

The JAS-39 is perfect in terms of capability and cost effectiveness.

Pool the force together with strategically located squadrons and joint training/maintenance/logistics.

+1 Behold the Joint NATO Fighter Force

Me-262

I would not be at all surprised to learn that a German pilot, in a 262, went through the sound barrier in a dive somewhere. To that end maybe the same could be proposed for the Me-163, though I doubt it.

I’ll go one better

mmm.. One would think US would wait a few more year before actuall dive into a new large program like that.

I mean, sure US have allready started on the initial specs, requirements and planning.
But in terms of allready flying prototypes… no sir, i don’t buy this..

I would not be surprised to learn at all, that a small number of advanced types are in service at Groom Lake. This would be a vehicle will possible global reach capability, like the B-2. Not just initial prototypes but completed examples in clandestine service. This happened with the U-2, SR-71, F-117 and whatever secret helo crashed in Pakistan.

Probably

Or, at the very least, remove the pressure from the hydraulics to allow the canopy to open freely (when unlocked).

Matter of course

I have no doubt a next generation stealth aircraft is being developed under intense secrecy. We can speculate all we want, but will never know until someone gets a good picture. Even that is dubious because of tools like Photoshop, etc…