Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: gt0818a%prism@gatech.edu (Paul E. Robichaux)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Northrop F-20...
Message-ID: <6565@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 15 May 89 14:36:03 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology
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From: gt0818a%prism@gatech.edu (Paul E. Robichaux)
The F-20 died as a result of USAF disinterest. Their original plan was to buy
all F-16s for the air superiority mission, but Northrop made some exceptionally
attractive price concessions (including, I think, a fixed-price spare parts
contract) which drew Congressional attention. Congress mandated an F-16/F-20
flyoff, which (since it was conducted by the program board that wanted F-16s
in the first place) the F-20 lost.

Seeing the refusal of DoD to buy the F-20, foreign governments stayed away from
it like it was another C-5A. I am not aware of any in service with foreign
nations at this time. From what I understand, it is a very capable, easy-to-
maintain aircraft (as is the F-16). Northrop was hailed for taking initiative
and spending their own R&D money to develop it, and then took a bath when no
one wanted it.

I'd buy one.



-- 
Paul E. Robichaux, Undergrad Peon  |       Internet: gt0818a@prism.gatech.edu
Georgia Institute of Technology    |       BITNET:   gt0818a@GITNVE2
GT PO Box 30818; Atlanta, GA 30332 |============================================