What other Gen 4 Aircraft might come to the US tech tree

Machinery of War Discussion
1

What could come after what we currently have or is this as advanced as the US Gen 4 aircraft get. Just curious is all.

2

F-15EX is likely the next US aircraft to be added that is “Gen 4”

Basically, F-15E with AESA and 16x AAMs. With optional upgrades for MAWS, ECM and an IRST Pod

Wont be a major upgrade over the F-15C GE but would give them a solid 14.7/15.0 aircraft.

Then there is a boat load of F-16s still missing too iirc.

There is also always an option for something like the EA-18G if/when ECM is added

(then also the obvious “premium” versions of existing airframes, like an F-18F for the US TT, but dont think it adds anything that the F-18E doesnt already get iirc)

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3

F-14D, F-15B/D, F-18D, F-18B, legacy hornet with AESA radar, more F-16 varients and some other prototypes could be 4th gen that could be added. If 4.5 gen included then F-15EX, F-18E/F block 1 and block 3. If EW planes considered then EA-18G

4

ECM and MAWS would be built in if they choose to add them

also gets extra countermeasures and late model GE-129’s

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5

I thought both were dependent on the BAE pod?

6

what pod are you talking about? ALQ-250 and AAR-57 (if they choose to add it) are both part of the airframe

7

https://www.baesystems.com/en-uk/product/eagle-passive-active-warning-survivability-system-epawss

or is that intergrated system not an external system

8

its an integrated system, it replaces the old ALQ-135 TEWS on F-15E’s

9

Ah, my bad on that then. Thought it was an external system.

But good old BAE fixing US aircraft, just need to give the F-15 a Rolls Royce Engine now

10

you understand the only reason BAE is any good at EW is because it bought out a ton of smaller US companies like LM Sanders (developer and initial manufacturer of F-22’s ALR-94) and got the necessary IP to make good modern ECM. The reason they get so many US contracts is because they have a special agreement to keep that stuff within the US section only.

ALQ-250 itself is manufactured in New Hampshire

GE is way more competitive than RR

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11

Looks at the B-52…

12

😒

13

did GE even compete in this B-52 re-engine program?

14

I would assume they did.

15

I checked just now and they did, but Rolls Royce only won because the F130 was the closest to the old TF33 in size which made it the easiest option to re-engine the fleet with

16

I’m speculating other american 4th gen fighter aircraft to rank 8

  • F-15A (early service)
  • F-15E early (1990 ~ Q1 91’s configuration)
  • F/A-18A+
  • F/A-18E (IOC) (2000 ~ 2001 configuration)
  • F/A-18F Initial Block (2002 ~ 2004 configuration)
  • F/A-18D late production (1993 ~ 1994 configuration)
  • F-16C Block 25
  • F-16C Block 40 Night Falcon (1998 ~ 2003 confguration)
  • F-16A Block 1 ~ 5
  • F-16A Block 30D (mid 1991 configuration)
17

Hopefully nothing fourth gen aircraft dont belong

18

its unlikely to get 16 unfortunately, the amber racks (the fuselage double mounts) arent actually integrated on anything

19

This is Gaijin… Just look at the Su27s and Su30s

20

at the very least I believe smin has said amber racks are unlikely