Other than some armed trainers and modern bombers like you said there’s not really any new airframes to be added especially up at top tier.
Like we just looking at the US there’s the Super Hornet, F-15EX, F-16E/V/70/72 (Pretty much the same thing just ever so slightly different to each other), F-14D just off the top of my head. And that’s not taking into account the twin seater versions of the airframes we have which could be added.
Also possibly an upgraded AV-8B+ that’s in the works with presumably HMD + upgraded IR + Radar missiles.
But honestly still enough that I think 5th gen might not be seen until maybe end of 2026, but who knows?
Very likely that they will avoid adding 5th gen stuff for a long time, they have to drip feed now or they won’t be able to harvest hype money from newer planes anymore
Yeah personally I think we might see the F-16E at some point this year. Would be a pretty good addition and upgrade over the C and there would still be room for the Block 70/72 later as well.
Honestly other than the B/D/EX or maybe even the Silent Eagle or the STOL/MTD if it was ever armed I don’t think there’s a need for loads of F-15’s with varying levels of differences. It would simply be too cluttered even with foldering. And frankly there’s not really a need for that many anyway.
Nah they better take their time or they’ll run out of new fighters. Let them fill the gaps, there’s plenty fighters missing before gen 5… f2a, superhornet, f14d, mig35, su35… I think we gotta be careful and not open the gen 5 chapter too early
Be patient, the raptor will come soon enough
Why would we get the F-15SA if we can get the nearly identical F-15EX? It’s not like the SA would be anywhere other than the US tech tree, so better put the actual USAF variant
Pretty sure the Block 70/72 is. V is the export version of the 70/72 but is near identical to it. I’m not too sure about the E as like the V it’s an export version, the block 60. Could still come to the US seeing as they built them even if they sell them on. Would be a good step between the C and the block 70/72 if it was to come.
Oh okay, thanks for the clarification.
I honestly have some doubts about this one… on one hand they completely skipped every block of the F-16 from the Block 10 F-16A to the Block 50 F-16C, but on the other, the F-35A is gonna take longer to drop than the F-22, so they might add something to the F-16 line that didn’t receive anything since 2023.
Yeah most likely before a F-35 in that line we will get an upgraded F-16, personally I think it’s more likely going to be the Block 70 or 72 but the E would also be possible instead but ultimately either would fill that gap nicely in the future.
