Ed Rasimus wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 16:48:22 -0200, "Vicente Vazquez"
wrote:

"Dweezil Dwarftosser" escreveu na mensagem
...
The successful failu the F-16.

Is it correct to say that the F-16 is also implicated on the failure of the
F-20 Tigershark project ??

In brief :

- F-20 should be an aircraft cleared for export for non-NATO countries
(F-16 weren't cleared for that)
- F-16 were cleared for export (Seems like General Dynamics was in deep
financial trouble)
- F-20 program went down the drain

Does that kind of affirmation have some veridical background or is it just
another BS that can be found in some "not very reliable" books and
magazines?

There's a lot of truth in the sequence. The policy, pre-Carter, was to
provide second level (similar to Soviet "export" version) aircraft to
third-world/developing nation AFs. These were the folks that were
principal customers for the NF-156 Freedom Fighter (AKA F-5A program).

Northrop developed a follow-on to the F-5 to sell to existing
customers who were not eligible for US equippage, i.e. F-15/F-16
aircraft. There were other contenders, such as the F-16/79--a Viper
without advanced avionics and pushed by a J-79 engine. It was a viable
market for an arguably competitive airplane.

When Carter breached the dike by contracting for F-16As to Pakistan
and then S. Korea, the list of potential F-20 customers disappeared as
they all demanded first level equipment, i.e. F-16s.

Carter did not just breach the dyke, he *created* it in the first
place. It was * his * "no first tier exports" policy that was
announced in 1977. Prior to that we had sold quite a few "first tier"
aircraft to "developing nations", as long as they had the cash to buy
them, or if they were considered critical allies (nations like Israel,
Pakistan, Iran, the ROC, Australia, etc.), so I don't think your
characterization of this policy as existing "pre-Carter" is entirely
accurate.

"In February of 1977, in a well-meaning but ultimately futile gesture,
President Jimmy Carter announced a new arms transfer policy in an
attempt to reduce arms proliferation throughout the world. Under this
policy, American manufacturers could no longer sell to foreign air
forces any combat aircraft that were the equal of those in the US
inventory...To cater for the 'embargoed' air forces, the FX Export
Fighter Program was proposed...In 1980, President Carter relaxed his
policy and allowed the delivery of some export F-16A/Bs to proceed..."
(www.f-16.net/reference/versions/f16_79.html )


I believe the F-20 program originated pre-Carter, and was oriented
more towards what Northrop perceived to be a lucrative market, namely
those nations which did *not* have either the cash required or the
clout needed to swing aircraft like the F-15/16 in their direction,
and especially those many nations that had already bought into the F-5
program years before. Carter's policy did provide the impetus for the
ill-begotten F-16/79 program, and his subsequent policy backpeddle in
1980 sounded the death knell for that program. All in all, the most
that can be said for Carter's short journey into idealistic export
policy is that the French may owe him a medal for taking the US out of
play for some fighter procurement deals.


Later Northrop tried to flog the airplane to Air Defense Command and
as a potential diversification airplane for TAC, but it simply
couldn't compete against the already existing Viper base.

ISTR the ANG threw some support behind the idea of purchasing the F-20
to replace the A-7, etc., as well as the F-106's they owned at the
time.

Brooks


Having flown the F-20 cockpit (albeit not with F-20 flight models)
during F-23 Dem/Val, I would say that the F-20 was not ready to
compete with the ergonomics of F-16.

Throw in a couple of demo aircraft prangs and you have all the
ingredients of a failed program.