F-15s - by now should be most if not all active in combat roles.
F-16 are currently early in process, goal is also ~entire fleet by 2030s.
What's the benefit?
It isn't like they're useless; quite the opposite.
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F-16 are currently early in process, goal is also ~entire fleet by 2030s.
It isn't like they're useless; quite the opposite.
Good question. I honestly don't have a clear answer for you other than to say that I know that they have been working to deploy AESA radars to F-15 and F-16 over some time. You could even have a combination of GaA and GaN depending on when the radar was introduced.
Overall, I suspect that within the next several years they will all or nearly all be GaN AESA radars across the F-15 and F-16 along with the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) for the F-15 and the Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) for the F-16. Outside of that, ~600 F-16's are to be upgraded to the V standard configuration over the next several years.
This goes to show that they would have quite an inventory of aircraft that could be converted to loyal wingman and be capable of performing numerous roles. I see no reason why these 4th gen aircraft should be discarded or sold off when they are likely more capable than any loyal wingman yet built.
US Air Force needs to work on their planes’ readiness and pilot training first.
You should read this paper
Watch this also. Pay attention to the charts
(1)No GaN radar in a pipeline. An/apg-82 and -83 are both arsenide.
(1) Loyal wingman conversion of existing airframes is highly troublesome, and probably impractical.
It's possible to make a RC/independent drone, or unmanned interceptor/bomber, but LW is very tricky.
(2) Loyal wingman, when achieved (it isn't), doesn't equal manned fighter in capability. It certainly isn't new stage.
(3) No one is discarding F-15/16 fleet. Quite the opposite. If anything, there are moves to control drones off them(data pod).
Isn't that the kinda zircon, its just thr classic bi conical HGV, but it has a engine on it at least? But that would mean its pretty slow, but I guess if you REALLY want that prompt strike ability.In other news
Because it just doesnt fit US threat profile. They'll be heavily challenged vs China. There is no added benefits or capability converting existing frames to drones. US doesnt face or expected to face shortages of pilots. They already have people trained for those and flying them nor there is risk of any such shortages due to lack of manpower or sudden spike in airframes. Everywhere else, the old reapers or few squadrons can do the trick.
No solid marginal benefit for allocating resources to such project beyond R&D, which theyve done already and well past it.
![[twitter] Marco_Langbroek—2025.09.16—1967910160887845362—G09rkfsW8AAKKny.jpg](https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/data/attachments/154/154865-6d1837379335ac80a7e1fb61b0269dd1.jpg "[twitter] Marco_Langbroek—2025.09.16—1967910160887845362—G09rkfsW8AAKKny.jpg")
A Trident-II D5 SLBM was launched on 21 Sept 2025 at 2325 UTC from a ballistic missile submarine at 76.3E 28.8N. 450 km east of Cape Canaveral. This test is number 216 overall, and the 192nd test at sea (10 by the UK). The last US test was on 27 Sept 2023.
"all active" and "entire fleet" are certainly NOT the huge numbers you see in Wikipedia or Military Balance and the ilk.
And if the F-16 AESA radar retrofit is like I read, then power and space limitations mean it will have less radar range than a new build.
That is a very aggressive timeframe from contract award to first flight... to say the least.