Intro: The F-20 is a single General Electric F404 engine. (Originally designed for the F/A-18) It has BVR capabilities and could carry most of the USA weapons. When it was first designed it could compete with the F-16A and even carry more advanced weaponry. The F-20 was cheaper to purchase and maintain then every other air Dominance Fighter.
I think this plane would fit perfectly at 12.0 with the F-16A and F-14s or maybe at 11.3 right after the F-5E
This plane was capable of BVR combat. This plane never entered production and never got the chance to prove itself. I think it would be cool to see this plane in the game so here is my Petition
PETITION: F-20 added to the tech tree NOT as an event or premium vehicle.
I think it would be too good to be a premium and too many players would miss out if it was an event vehicle.
I could see the F-20 being a premium yes, but I think the F-4S should either be a premium or be removed entirely. The F-4S is a slightly different version of the F-4J. I could not see it being useful or necessary in the TT
Personally I think a tech tree F-4S near the end of its service life would be cool, with AIM-9L and AIM-7M, which had entered service and were used by the time it was retired, in 1992. While yes AIM-9M had also entered service by this point I think that would be too powerful. Combine AIM-9L with the VTAS “HMD” inherited from the F-4J and it would have the potential to be a pretty good plane as the most powerful American Phantom.
Let’s say F-20 Tigershark as a premium pack rank 8 for USA tree, gaijin might consider open rank 9 for 4+ gen & 4++ gen fighter aircraft Q4 2025, and afterwards add premium pack rank 8 aircraft 11.7 or 12.0
It all depends on which version Gaijin decides to implement: They could do it based on the 2nd or 3rd prototype, with only rear-aspect AIM-9J/P and AIM-7F, YF404 (16,000 lbf) F404-GE-100 (17,000 lbf), and standard/pre-production APG-67 (as well as proposed CM dispensers for the 4th prototype).
Or, they could do it based on the hypothetical production aircraft, namely the 4th prototype: uprated F404 at 18,000 pounds of thrust, slightly more powerful APG-67, possible AIM-9L/AIM-7M (doubtful, seeing as there’s no definitive proof on if it would’ve carried either, seeing as it wasn’t tested with them), and maybe even a GE camo based on a hypothetical US Air National Guard livery.
Also, expanded fuel capacity (not by much) and definitely AN/ALE-40 CM dispensers (as mentioned in one of the sales films)
Another major thing: the F-20 was likely intended (or at least proposed) to be AMRAAM-capable.
A better F-5E with better turn rate, acceleration/top speed, avionics, semi-FBW controls (more responsive), and AMRAAMs sounds like too good of an opportunity to pass up as an event vehicle…
Obviously anything is welcome - even if there is no reason to add it. It’s just me making the point that the F-5E currently outperforms the F-20A in sustained turn rate in-game for some reason and the devs decided they aren’t going to change it.
Kind of a weird way to make a point. The F-5E may be over performing, but it’s like saying the F-16A blk 10 is over performing so there is no reason to add the F-16XL. Both might be similar, but are completely different in capability. There are better ways about getting that error corrected, and who knows maybe fiddling with the F-20s flight model makes them take a second look at the F-5E>
I didn’t even know people were still interested in this topic lol. But yeah, I guess ai could see it as a premium rank VIII. But even still, I agree that the F-20 would still be cool if it was added even if the F-5E outperforms it. Like someone said previously. Plane being added because of different capabilities makes the variants cool and adds variety to the game. The blueprints of the F-20 shared previously prove that it can carry 9Ls and unfortunately with it being a prototype and never being tested after the F-16 was adopted it never got the chance to be tested with more advanced missiles. This would be an aircraft that Gaijin would have to assume it capabilities or force it to only have tested weapons and be at a lower BR than what it could have been. I still think the F-20 would be an incredible plane to add to this game.
