[chb]

They never learn. Every time they try to create an all purpose aircraft they end up with a horrifically expensive fiasco. The only good multi-purpose aircraft they ever came up with started with single purpose naval fighters which were strong enough to handle everything they could strap on to them (e.g. the F4U and the F4 Phantom).

[SkyPilot]

Yup. At least the f-4 was a good aircraft, as you said.

As someone posted, the F-35 is the 21st century answer to the F-111.

[Ace's Dad]

The only good multi-purpose aircraft they ever came up with started with single purpose naval fighters which were strong enough to handle everything they could strap on to them (e.g. the F4U and the F4 Phantom).

I was in Naval Aviation during this time. As I recall the AF totally would not buy another NavAir design. Pure politics; it's still going on, as far as I can tell.

[Garvin]

The A-7 Corsair, A-4 Skyhawks and F-4 Phantoms, were all used by the Air Force (F-4, A-7) Navy(A-7, A-4, and F-4) and Marines(A-4, F-4)in multiple roles. It was good in all its roles and then some.