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Actually it was super hornet. It has so few common parts with the original, that many people consider it completely different airplane. The program costs we're
by vlehto 9y ago
Actually it was super hornet. It has so few common parts with the original, that many people consider it completely different airplane. The program costs we're also big enough to hint new design if I recall correctly.
The reason it is called "hornet" and why it shares so much external similarity is some kind of domestic propaganda reasons. To make people think that US Navy doesn't have modern equipment when they actually do.
- bertjk 9y agoThe more commonly cited reason is that it was easier to get Congress to approve a budget for an improvement on an existing fighter than for a brand new fighter program.
- BatFastard 9y agoAnd indeed there is much less risk in improving a good design over starting a new project from scratch. One wonders what we could have accomplished if we have invested the trillion dollars we are putting into the F-35 into say unmanned drone fighters, or batteries so that we dont have to defend the middle east.