When are the Thunderbirds getting an upgrade?
Posted by Aviator-Intelligence@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 44 comments
Posted by Aviator-Intelligence@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 44 comments
RingGiver@reddit
Not soon, because:
Something has gone horribly wrong if either the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels are needed for a combat deployment and they have plenty of F-16s to give to the Thunderbirds for the next few decades.
The F-35 is single-seat only, so neither squadron will be upgrading to that even if the DoD wants to pay for something that costs that much. Maybe their respective NGAD, but that's probably way too expensive. Probably a trainer due to price differences.
fuckingscott@reddit
The hornets and vipers used by the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds are all single seat aircraft. The Blue Angels just moved away from the baby Hornet but are still in a single seat config.
bleachorange@reddit
I dont foresee the F16 getting replaced for a while. Nothing more modern is really cheaper/more aerobatic and they have plenty in inventory.
digger250@reddit
I'm not sure you'd want the old tired airframes pulling 9g in front of a crowd of spectators.
Ok_Recording81@reddit
They do upgrade to newer airframes
Former_Farm_3618@reddit
Why would they?
Left_Chemistry_9739@reddit
All I know is that if they switch to F-35s, I will no longer go to air shows with the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels.
UrgentSiesta@reddit
Why…?
IAmQuixotic@reddit
They’ll probably go to the T-7 once they’ve become the new standard trainer
real_pasta@reddit
Why would they go from a full scale fighter to a trainer? They don’t use the T38 so what would make them choose the T7?
digger250@reddit
Because they are cheaper.
UrgentSiesta@reddit
Probably not, tbh.
digger250@reddit
F-16 unit price is in the neighborhood of $70m. T-7 is roughly $20m.
UrgentSiesta@reddit
The ones they fly are at least a couple decades old and therefore fully depreciated.
AFAIK they never get new aircraft, either, as the most advanced models go to from line units.
There’s also a MUCH larger pool of Vioers from which to draw, whereas there won’t ever be many Red Hawks.
digger250@reddit
I thought the last F-16 was delivered way back in 2005
whywouldthisnotbea@reddit
2027 is going to be weird
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not-a-governor@reddit
I love this
IAmQuixotic@reddit
Because an F-16 isn’t that much more expensive than a T-38. An F-35 is that much more expensive than a T-7.
UrgentSiesta@reddit
They won’t need to.
Plenty of older Vipers in the pipeline. And the Redhawkmis hardly a kinematic aircraft
LPNTed@reddit
Kinematic is a curious word choice.
UrgentSiesta@reddit
Only if you don’t know the definition 🤙
Sufficient_Layer_279@reddit
It’s a perfectly cromulent word.
LPNTed@reddit
IDK about "perfectly".. LOL.. Using perfectly with cromulent is oxymoronic.
Sufficient_Layer_279@reddit
(It’s a joke from The Simpsons)
LPNTed@reddit
Ah. TY.
Aviator-Intelligence@reddit (OP)
Does the T-7 have a similar design to the T-38?
IAmQuixotic@reddit
Not really in my opinion but it’s subjective I suppose
All trainers look somewhat alike imo
digger250@reddit
It'll be fun. You can troll them by calling them F/A-18s.
-burnr-@reddit
laughs in Snowbird
BackgroundGrade@reddit
Something has to compete with the B52 for longest service life.
PoolRamen@reddit
Well...
Blue_Etalon@reddit
Seeing a squad of BUFFs in Thunderbird Paint would be awesome.
FluffyFlamingo444@reddit
ChatGPT makes some interesting choices
TheHamFalls@reddit
Make this the Fat Albert of the Thunderbirds, please.
A-29_Super_Tucano@reddit
They won’t get an upgrade for a long time, unless it’s another upgrade of the F-16.
Hypothetically, if they were to switch aircraft in the future, they won’t switch to a 5th or 6th generation fighter because that would be far too expensive and they don’t have 2 seat options. I’m guessing they would go for the T-7 Red hawk, since they’ve used trainers before and it would be far cheaper.
Vulture2k@reddit
imagine what they could do with f22s... i mean its also of course highly unrealistic.. but still.. imagine xD
St1ng@reddit
Why would they?
pilotben97@reddit
They got an upgrade not too long ago, just from 1 block of F-16s to another which is hard to tell as a viewer. They are unlikely to change from F-16s anytime soon if at all.
27803@reddit
Upgrade to what? The F16 is most maneuverable acrobatic aircraft in the inventory
BrewCityChaserV2@reddit
Not for a long time.
Ok_Mathematician6075@reddit
They look precision ready.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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