Fighter development without Vietnam

[chuck4]

Had there not been Vietnam, would mainstream fighter development have continued to pursue long range, high Mach (Mach 2.5+), low T/W (~0.75), BVR interceptor line through the 1970s and 1980s? What would subsequent fighter development look like?


What would be the impact on subsequent fighter development had helmet sighted, Agile type AAM which would have offered most of AIM-9X capability, not been cancelled in early 1970s?

 

[Avimimus]

Extremely interesting question!
I'm sure there were quite a few post-Vietnam designs that would've done better (at reaching the hardware stage) in the analytic environment you're supposing!

 

[Nick]

Almost certainly no guns on any of them. It was only the air-to-air combat over Vietnam that convinced the top brass that having cannon on board was essential for when the missiles ran out or couldn't be targeted.

No United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, no Top Gun movie....

 

[Pioneer]

Also thinking, as fighters got larger/heavier and faster, so would the AAM's to match such threats - Hence the original derived 60,000 Ib FX to the USAF's RfP [pre-revised 40,000 Ib F-15 Eagle] could potentially have had the AIM-97 Seekbat as it's primary weapon and the Aim-7 Sparrow III as it's secondary weapon, while the Aim-9 Sidewinder was seen as limited and unworthy as a consequence of the advent of and USAF's exaggerated interpretation of the Soviet 'Foxbat'.....

Just a thought......

Regards
Pioneer

 

[F.L.]

If @chuck4 had known in 2012 that his question would get a new answer 12 years later !!!

 

[Rule of cool]

Wars elsewhere would exert far greater influence over fighter design, such as the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and the ongoing 'War of Attrition' that lasted until 1970.

 

[Pioneer]

If @chuck4 had known in 2012 that his question would get a new answer 12 years later !!!

Better late than never
I've been enjoying going through the Alternative History threads of the forum!


Regards
Pioneer

 

[Pioneer]

Wars elsewhere would exert far greater influence over fighter design, such as the Arab-Israeli wars of 1967 and the ongoing 'War of Attrition' that lasted until 1970.

True that, plus the Indo-Pak wars....

Regards
Pioneer

 

[MadRat]

The smaller fighters were very prolific in the era due to cost. The larger fighters were generally reserved for intercept roles. Without Vietnam showing the utility of multipurpose aircraft, the trend would have continued. But large twin-engined aircraft proved dominant.

F-16 didn't show its deadliness until the early 90s. Before then fighters were trending bigger and bigger, based upon affordability.

 

[Rule of cool]

FWIW I used to think that a 60,000lb fighter with a barrage of long range AAMs would do just as well as the F15, with all of the backup from AEW&C, IFF and all the rest. However these required the Vietnam experience to identify their worth and practice their employment. So without Vietnam the USA fighter forces are suffering a double whammy.