Although it was capable, the F-20 was built to be a second-tier fighter—and no one wanted a second-tier fighter when first-tier ones were available.
The Northrop F-20 Tigershark is remembered today as a bad luck story—a victim of the capricious nature of American foreign policy. First flown in 1982, the F-20 was envisioned in a time before the United States allowed the fighter jets in its own service to be exported. Without competition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the F/A-18 Hornet, Northrop hoped that its F-20 Tigershark—which was not in service with the Air Force—would be an appealing option for foreign militaries wishing to acquire American fighter jets.
But as the Cold War intensified, Reagan relaxed export restrictions, allowing for other nations to directly purchase the F-16 and F/A-18—eliminating the F-20’s appeal. And because the Air Force chose not to buy the F-20 for themselves, Northrop had a difficult time making the case to foreign buyers that the F-20 was worth the investment. Ultimately, in spite of its promise, the F-20 was canceled after only three prototypes had been fielded.
The F-20 Tigershark’s Specifications
Based on the lightweight and affordable F-5 Freedom Fighter, the F-20 was built to be a cheap and maintenance-friendly light fighter rivaling the Soviet MiG fighters popular on the international export market. The F-20 was built around one General Electric F404 turbofan, which generated 17,000 pounds of thrust with the afterburner engaged, permitting a Mach 2.1 (1,560 mph) max speed and a 55,000 foot service ceiling. The F-20, which was far more powerful than the F-5 and its twin J85 engines, showed excellent thrust-to-weight ratio, spirited acceleration, and excellent performance at high altitude.
For its time period in the early 1980s, the F-20 featured advanced radar and cockpit systems. The radar system installed was the General Electric AN/APG-67, capable of look-down/shoot-down and featuring multi-modes for either air-to-air or air-to-ground use. The cockpit systems included a HUD (Heads-Up Display), Multifunction Displays (MFDs) and HOTAS (Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick) controls. The pilot was enclosed within a pressurized bubble canopy that permitted excellent visibility. In fact, the F-20’s cockpit layout was quite similar to its primary competitor, the F-16.
At the pilot’s fingertips were two 20-mm M39A2 cannons and a variety of missiles, bombs, and rockets fitted to the aircraft’s seven hard points—which could handle up to 8,000 pounds of ordnance and were compatible with the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow.
The Tigershark Failed to Meet Market Demands
Northrop built the F-20 as a private venture rather than in order to fulfill a contract for the Air Force. So the fact that the Air Force never purchased the F-20 was no surprise. Still, it hurt the F-20’s chances on the foreign market. Although it was capable, the F-20 was built to be a second-tier fighter—and no one wanted a second-tier fighter when first-tier ones were available.
Once export restrictions were loosened, the F-20 lost out to the F-16. The F-16’s performance was not head-and-shoulders above the F-20’s; it had excellent acceleration, reliability, and turn rate. But the F-20 didn’t outperform the F-16 in enough areas to justify purchase—particularly given that the F-16 featured a fly-by-wire system (which the F-20 did not), crucial to agile performance and pilot safety.
The F-20 was simply the wrong plane at the wrong time. Today, just one of the three prototypes has survived.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / LeStudio.
