
mixelflick wrote:Let's talk about the 800lb gorilla in the room, funding.
Does everyone here think our nation can afford two very high end air superiority platforms? PCA and F/A-XX aren't going to be cheap. Unless they considerably lower the specs, these are going to be big, heavy birds laden with pricey sensors, weapons etc..I don't even want to think about cost per flight hour. Where's the $ going to come from?
So here's how I see things going down: PCA will be big $, but the USAF has hopefully learned the hard lesson about truncating the F-22 buy - PCA will be built in number. Call it 350ish. The Navy's going to get into F/A-XX pretty deep, before ultimately realizing it can't afford it. Two squadrons per carrier plus training and aircraft to account for attrition is likewise going to be about 350, maybe 400 airframes.
A naval version of PCA will ultimately be pitched, but just like naval versions of the F-15 and F-22 before it, it will be rejected. The Navy will then just buy upgraded F-35C's and call it a day...
The USAF didn't truncate the F-22 procurement - the politicians did, and the politicians can truncate any procurement of any thing. And the generals and lt cols who fought for the F22 were fired.
Costs can be minimized with OTS technology and maybe the USN and the USAF can get creative and share systems. Why do we need 2 engines for USAF and USN? You don't.
The USAF and USN will have to develop their sales pitch as the new aircraft being required for things the F35 can't do. The USAF can't sell it alone as a raider escort as we will be lucky to get the raider in quantities actually needed.
It will be interesting because they've already sold the F35 as the end all and be all of air combat.