The F-16U
The F-16U
The F-16U would be a distraction at best and a competitor at worst. Eventually, the UAE bought a simpler adaptation of the F-16.
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Most likely it would have been too cost efficient with fewer problems than a totally new design.
A fan of Delta Wings on this end, and the XL then F16U made a lot of sense. Fast Forward a bit.... Now Retrofit the F16U with the F-119 Pratt & Whitney out of the F-22 of which if my memory is correct they are approx the same size. Now you have Super-Cruise. Want to add the moveable Turkey Feathers for Thrust Vectoring as another Block Upgrade? Go ahead. My point is, I think we have so much more in our airframes, especially with all the number of F-16’s we made. It is a darn shame that Defense Spending as a percent of GDP is so low. We need a variety of these platforms that work. Heck Imagine a Block Upgrade to go with a Robust F-18 style gear and folding wings like the X47B for the F16U, Carrier Ops baby...
Two planes that come to mind that were never never produced were the Boeing C-14 and the Northrop F-20. The Boeing had top-mounted engines which, so I was told, provided better lift and less chance of FOD on unimproved air strips. Program cancelled. The F-20 was to be built primarily for overseas customers but when the Air Force showed no interest, foreign governments shied away from it. A good, proven design but no sales.