"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Apr 2004 17:27:14 -0700, "Tarver Engineering"
wrote:


"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
.. .


The idea back in the day was that with the Tomcat 21 they would have
made improvements to the maintanance aspects similar to the Super
Hornet. It would have been essentially a "clean sheet" Tomcat much as
the Super Hornet was a clean sheet Hornet.

Dude, Tomcat's numbers suck, get over it.

"It would have been essentially a "clean sheet" Tomcat much as the
Super Hornet was a clean sheet Hornet."

The Tomcat is not an electric FCS airplane. What you are suggesting is back
to the future.

Which part of that did ya miss? They wouldn't have been simply
sticking new sensors on a D. It would have been essentially all new.
New engines, new avionics, new and redesigned airframe, etc. It would
have incorporated a lot of "lessons learned" from a maintainability
standpoint. Would it have been exaclty as good as a Super Hornet re.
maintianability? Who knows. It would have been a hell of a lot
better than a D's though.

Why?

US missiles finally worked through a lot of hard work at RPL and later
Phillips to get the propellent mixes right for the first Gulf War. Sensor
and guidance technology has made an additional leap since then. Technology
has changed the nature of war and if the best you can do is apply the F-22
to some war with China, you need to join us in the new millenia. The end of
mannned flight is near.