Are the F15s and F18s meant for the Navy and the F14s and F16s meant for the Air Force?
2007-10-05 03:47:58 · 5 answers · asked by Forward 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
The Thunderbirds use F16s and the Blue Angels use F18s.
2007-10-05 03:48:44 · update #1
So why? Why are they like that?
2007-10-05 03:51:49 · update #2
As others have pointed out, the F-15 and -16 are Air Force birds, the F-18 is a Navy (US) bird, and the F-14 is a FORMER Navy Bird.
The F/A-18 WAS designed to be an Air Force Bird (YF-17), but lost in the competition to the F-16. The F/A-18 IS in the service of other countries Air Forces: Austrailia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, and Switzerland
JUST FYI... a rather SIMPLE way to tell if a bird is Navy-designed: look at the landing gear !! If they are spindley and weak, the bird is for the AIR FORCE... if the gear look like the bird can be dropped HARD from 50ft... it's carrier capable.
ALSO, the US Navy REALLY prefers dual-engines (no emergency landing strips out in the blue ocean)... so if it's single engine, it's Air Force (though the coming F-35 breaks that tradition)
2007-10-05 04:22:57 · answer #1 · answered by mariner31 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The USN doesnt operate F15's and the USAF doesnt operate the F14 (in fact, only Iran operates it now, it was retired from USN service late 2006).
The USAF operates the F15 and F16 as an air dominance fighter (F15 to control airspace and suppress enemy air arms) and a strike fighter (f16 to do the SEAD, CAS and any other tactical strike role). Both aircraft have the ability to overlap, so the F15 can hit ground targets and the F16 is a capable AA fighter, its just that they do their current roles better.
The USN is in the process of switching all its aircraft to F18 variants except for its rotary (blackhawks) and prop aircraft (Hawkeye). There are variants of the new super hornet airframe for wild weasel (SEAD), strike, AA refueling and air defence.
The Tomcat was 30+ years old when it was retired last year and was primarily a fleet defense jet, with a limited strike ability. With current American dominance there was no need for a jet with super long range to deal with air threats to the carrier group so to save money they put all their roles into the new Super Hornet airframe and its doing well.
The right air arms have the right jets.
The USAF is in the process of replacing the F15/F16 with the F22/JSF.
Nothing comes close to the Typhoon though (looking away as I get 100 thmbs down for that comment lol)
2007-10-05 04:46:11 · answer #2 · answered by futuretopgun101 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here's the breakdown
............................ Air Force ..........................Navy
Air Superiority: ...F-15 and F-22 ................. None
Strike Fighter: ...F-16 and F-35................... FA-18 and F-35
When I say there is no Air Superiority fighter in the Navy, I have to also note that they make up for this deficiency in air to air power by numbers and by integration of other aircraft (outside the 18s and the 35s) with their normal fighter force.
Incidently, the F-22 and F-35 are both just coming out (and there will be multiple versions of the 35, if not also the 22)
2007-10-05 04:04:22 · answer #3 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
F-15s and F-16s are USAF. F-14s and F/A-18s are Navy. The F-14s are now retired. I write military fiction books and know this stuff by heart.
2007-10-05 03:50:04 · answer #4 · answered by adm_twister_jcom 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
F-14 (gone) and FA-18, Navy.
F-15 and F-16, Air Force.
2007-10-05 03:49:59 · answer #5 · answered by Philip McCrevice 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋