As the United States Air Force and Marine struggle to justify the exorbitant costs of theirs sixth generation fighter program For an understandably skeptical Congress, it’s important to remember the time the military tried to create an entirely new capability using surplus parts. But that’s what the Air Force tried to do with their proposed YA-7F Strike Fighter. Using old surplus A-7 Corsair II aircraft, the Air Force made them more manoeuvrable, installed better engines, and essentially created a nighttime supersonic battlefield aircraft for cheap.
It was the mid-1980s and the Air Force was trying out new concepts as the Cold War raged and the Reagan administration was on a defense spending spree. Interestingly, it was at this time that some in the Pentagon chose to begin work on a low-cost alternative to the more expensive fighter jets favored by the Pentagon.
The Air Force wanted close air mission (CAS) aircraft and anticipated the need for such platforms when—and if—the Cold War heated up and NATO forces found themselves in a shooting war in Europe. Specifically, the Air Force wanted more speed and agility than its current CAS system had. Then, the one A-10 Thunderbolt IIthe Air Force’s primary CAS fighter, got some love. It was considered by Air Force brass to be too slow for some modern combat situations.
So, the Air Force wanted to take the resistance of the A-10 but marry it to a faster-moving aircraft. So the YA-7F Strikefighter.
Recycling magnitude
This bird was based on the subsonic, old A-7 Corsair II attack jet that had served the Air Force and Navy. The strikefighter turned into a transonic aircraft which had the ability to go faster than the speed of sound. The Air Force upgraded the Strikefighter to newer ones Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engineswhich provides about 26,000 pounds of thrust, hence its supersonic capability. Due to the newer, more potent engine, the fuselage was lengthened by four feet, with the designers adding sections to the fuselage both before and after the wings. These four-foot fuselages improved speed and aerodynamics.
Engineers also made the vertical stabilizer higher and modifications to the original control surfaces for high-speed performance. Therefore, the YA-7F could enjoy a turn of 7g which meant its handling and maneuverability were superior A-7 Corsair II on which it was based. Pilots also got a great spectacle when they flew the bird. After all, this plane, although ugly on the outside, had a modernized cockpit. A heads-up display (HUD) was available and the bird had advanced avionics.
The plane can explode from 400 to 550 knots while carrying 17,380 pounds of ammunition in less than 15 seconds. In addition, the bird could maintain a speed of about Mach 1.5 with extra fuel.
These birds could carry nearly 18,000 pounds of armament as well.
Cut off too early
The YA-7F was very promising when it was prematurely canceled by the Pentagon. The plane was a victim of its own success. It was actually much cheaper (and almost as effective) as the other plans considered. However, the military wanted so many new ones F-16s and other fourth-generation plans as possible—and America’s defense contractors were only too happy to steer the Pentagon in that direction.
Canceling the YA-7F was one of the worst decisions the Pentagon ever made. The plane would have been a useful bird and could have filled CAS roles that required speed and agility. Furthermore, it exemplified the kind of cost savings the Pentagon could make without losing any significant capabilities.
It’s also a sign of what should be done with the costly Air Force Next-Generation Air Dominance program. America does not need this system. The Pentagon could easily improve the existing fleet of aircraft it has without blowing its budget to build wünderwaffe.
Unlike the 1980s, when the US could still somewhat afford the Pentagon’s excesses, the only chance the US has for survival today is if every American gets more involved and demands an end to the wasteful spending at the Pentagon.
Still, the YA-7F Strikefighter program is an excellent reminder of why the Air Force should repurpose its legacy platforms to exert power. In today’s strategic and economic environment, the Pentagon really should start reusing platforms. For today’s strategic situation, it is actually much better to reuse and improve than to take the time to build from scratch.
Brandon J. Weicherta national security of national interest analystis a former congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor to The Washington Times, Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is available wherever books are sold. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
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