F-20A - Revision history

U171985807: /* Armaments */ Update Dance of Dragons

2024-09-17T09:27:05Z

‎Armaments: Update Dance of Dragons

U138796218: Stated flight performance was very overstated

2024-08-12T21:12:41Z

Stated flight performance was very overstated

U38088265: Reverted edits by U135349539 (talk) to last revision by U38088265

2024-08-07T17:09:39Z

Reverted edits by U135349539 (talk) to last revision by U38088265

U135349539: /* Flight performance */

2024-08-07T17:08:17Z

‎Flight performance

U38088265: /* Engine performance */

2024-07-22T18:33:54Z

‎Engine performance

U40820515: /* Engine performance */

2024-07-22T02:14:59Z

‎Engine performance

U44629479: Undo revision 188974 by U175933713 (talk)

2024-06-26T13:59:44Z

Undo revision 188974 by U175933713 (talk)

U175933713: /* Flight performance */

2024-06-26T12:31:13Z

‎Flight performance

U38088265: /* Suspended armament */ Added custom loadouts

2024-06-20T20:47:30Z

‎Suspended armament: Added custom loadouts

U48664895: /* History */ Added a history section

2024-05-21T17:34:30Z

‎History: Added a history section

@@ Line 132: / Line 132: @@
 The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
-* 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)
+* 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (230 rpg = 460 total)
 * 15 x large calibre countermeasures
 * 30 x countermeasures

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 Due to export restrictions by the Department of Defence preventing sales of advanced avionics and aircraft to export customers, many allies who were flying the now out-dated F-5 could not purchase the latest F-16 aircraft to meet the threat of the latest MiG-29s and Su-27s that Soviet allies were receiving. As a result, Northrop Grumman initiated the FX program, to design and build a new 4th light export generation fighter on the basis of the cancelled F-5F Super Tiger. The primary requirements for this new fighter were cheap interoperability with existing F-5 fleets, BVR capability, and modular compatibility with almost every kind of ordnance the US offered for export at the time. The resulting aircraft, the '''F-20 Tigershark''', was essentially an F-5E with a special radar capable of firing the AIM-7 Sparrow missile, and the two small engines of the F-5 family being replaced with a single F-404 engine similar to that of the F/A-18 Hornet. The resulting aircraft was slated to become the export standard for most NATO allies of the time, with Japan, West Germany, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and various other close allies eyeing the Tigershark for potential purchase. However, under the Reagan Administration, new export laws were passed which lifted most of the technology export bans, and as a result of further political meddling from the US and General Dynamics, the F-20 saw all its sale chances falter and fall through, with almost every country instead buying F-16s or F-15s (or in the case of Germany, simply upgrading their existing F-4F fleet to carry the new AIM-120 AMRAAM).
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. Being essentially an up-engined F-5E with better avionics, it plays exactly as one would expect it. It is one of the best dogfighters of its battle rating, and is only beaten by the F-16s and in some flight regimes the Mirage 2000. As a result, players looking for buying this aircraft should be expected to know how to properly dogfight, manage their energy, and employ their radar correctly to best the enemy aircraft. The incredible choice of ground ordnance also provides a nice alternative to the [[F-16A|F-16A Block 10]] in mixed battles. All in all, the F-20 is a great premium for researching the ranks of the US tree, and in terms of gameplay acts as a nice in-between for the two F-16s at the same BR in the American tree, having the AIM-7s and BVR capability of the F-16A ADF, while also having the guided ground ordnance of the F-16A Block 10.
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. Being essentially an up-engined F-5E with better avionics, it plays exactly as one would expect it. It is one of the better dogfighters of its battle rating, as a result, players looking for buying this aircraft should be expected to know how to properly dogfight, manage their energy, and employ their radar correctly to best the enemy aircraft. The incredible choice of ground ordnance also provides a nice alternative to the [[F-16A|F-16A Block 10]] in mixed battles. All in all, the F-20 is a great premium for researching the ranks of the US tree, and in terms of gameplay acts as a nice in-between for the two F-16s at the same BR in the American tree, having the AIM-7s and BVR capability of the F-16A ADF, while also having the guided ground ordnance of the F-16A Block 10.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 216: / Line 216: @@
 '''Dogfighting'''
-While F-20A has amazing flight performance and thrust-to-weight ratio that allows the plane to dogfight inexperienced F-16 and F-14 players, trying to fight more experienced players can end fairly badly for F-20A as the M39A3 is far weaker than 20 mm Vulcan or 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon and not bleeding enough speed while turning can easily get you ahead of plane you are chasing (and in front of their far powerful guns).
+While F-20A has good flight performance and thrust-to-weight ratio that allows the plane to dogfight inexperienced F-16 and F-14 players, trying to fight more experienced players can end fairly badly for F-20A as planes such as the F-14B and all F-16 variants will eventually out-rate the F-20 in a sustained dogfight.
 Head-ons are not recommended as the M39A3 is one of the weaker gun in the BR bracket and mounting 30 mm GAU-13/A cannon would only greatly decrease F-20A flight performance to add only 353 30 mm shells.

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 |-
 ! Stock
-| 2,14900 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
+| 2,149 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
 |-
 ! Upgraded

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 |-
 ! Stock
-| 2,149 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
+| 2,14900 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
 |-
 ! Upgraded

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 |-
 ! Upgraded
-| 2,254 || 2,200 || 21.5 || 22.0 || 291 || 255
+| 2,244 || 2,200 || 21.0 || 22.0 || 288.5 || 255.0
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 |-
 | colspan="2" | General Electric F404-GE-100 || 1
-| colspan="2" | 5,965 kg || colspan="2" | 476 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
+| colspan="2" | 6,080 kg || colspan="2" | 437 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 |-
 ! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
@@ Line 90: / Line 90: @@
 |-
 | 1,015 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
-| 6,755 kg || 7,600 kg || 8,188 kg || 11,788 kg
+| 6,694 kg || 7,539 kg || 8,127 kg || 10,744 kg
 |-
 ! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
-! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (110%/WEP)
+! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
 |-
-! Condition || 100% || 110%/WEP
+! Condition || 100% || WEP
 ! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 28m fuel || MGW
 |-
 | ''Stationary'' || 5,050 kgf || 7,630 kgf
-| 1.12 || 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.65
+| 1.14 || 1.01 || 0.94 || 0.70
 |-
-| ''Optimal'' || 5,050 kgf<br>(0 km/h) || 8,825 kgf<br>(1,050 km/h)
+| ''Optimal'' || 5,050 kgf<br>(0 km/h) || 8,503 kgf<br>(1,000 km/h)
-| 1.31 || 1.16 || 1.08 || 0.79
+| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.05 || 0.78
 |-
 |}
-=== Survivability and armor ===
+=== Survivability and armour ===
 {{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 <!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 ! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
-! colspan="2" |500,000
+! colspan="2" | Max speed<br>(km/h at 11,582 m)
 ! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 ! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 |-
 ! Stock
-| 2,149 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" |60,000||70|| 22.7 ||780||800|| rowspan="2" |7500
+| 2,149 || 2,121 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.5 || 22.7 || 221 || 210 || rowspan="2" | 850
 |-
 ! Upgraded
-| 2,254 || 2,200 ||70|| 22.0 ||780||800
+| 2,254 || 2,200 || 21.5 || 22.0 || 291 || 255
 |-
 |}

@@ Line 133: / Line 133: @@
 * 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)
-* 45 x countermeasures
+* 15 x large calibre countermeasures
 === Suspended armament ===
 {{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 <!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
-''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''
 {{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
 {{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
-* Without load
+* 3 x 150 gal drop tanks
 * 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
 * 2 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
@@ Line 200: / Line 249: @@
 == History ==
 <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 In the 1980s, the U.S. State Department sent out a request for an export fighter. In response, Northrop came up with the F-5G, which would be a vastly improved version of the F-5E. After receiving approval from the State Department, Northrop, without financial help from the government, began work on the F-5G. Up to this point, F-5s had twin J85 engines that produced around 3,000 kilograms of force per engine. These engines would end up being replaced by a single F404 engine that produced far more power at the expense of weighing more. Northrop also heavily modified the wings to increase performance and handling. In addition, the avionics were upgraded, and soon the Air Force ordered a few examples of the F-5G. The F-5G would also receive a new designation to separate it from the F-5 series, the F-20.
 Although the F-20 had favorable characteristics, it was overshadowed by the F-16. The Fighting Falcon was simply far superior to the F-20, and the Air Force chose the F-16. This essentially killed the F-20, as there wouldn't be enough demand for it to commence production. Northrop also tried selling the entire F-20 program, but that also failed. Only one surviving F-20 exists and is on display in the California Science Center.
 === [[wt:en/news/8770-shop-development-pre-order-f-20a-tigershark-en|Devblog]] ===