Bring back the F-14
I hate to rain on guys that fly the F-35 especially those w/ Top Gun creds. But everytime I see it fly it flys at high alpha as if it needs vortex lift to fly in formation w/ P-51's etc at Big Airshows and Fly-Overs. the dang thing needs more wing area. And my Pratt Alums, how the **ll did you fubar the engine, seriously, the F-119 was supposed to be trick in the F-22 what did you do to this variant.
Ya Minnesota Bound the F-14 was good. However give me the follwing.
* Something that is Gen 4 Plus.
* It can takeoff from unimproved runways, like the old Saab Viggen.
* Fast turn around time chocks to wheels up as fast as the Israeli's do, even if it means adding an APU.
* Delta Platform like the F-16XL that was slated for export.
* The F-18 E/F might be a place to start, especially with the Robust gear and folding wing.
If you look at the SU-27 and Mig-29, they were very F14ish, w/out the swing wing. The F-18 is similar, two engines, two tails and non-swing wings. Add even more cost effective Stealth and any cockpit / battlespace platforms from the F-22 etc for the F-18++ I am dreaming of.
Don't even get me started on we could have had the YF-23.