COMPLEMENTARY OPERATIONS CONCEPTS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NEXT MULTI-ROLE FIGHTER

BY ABOUT 2003, DELIVERIES OF A NEW MULTI-ROLE FIGHTER TO REPLACE THE F-16 WILL BE NEEDED. IT WILL REQUIRE MUCH SUPERIOR COMBAT CAPABILITIES AND SURVIVABILITY TO THE F-16, BUT MUST COST NO MORE. ONE APPROACH TO IMPROVE COST EFFECTIVENESS IS THROUGH "COMPLEMENTARY" OPERATIONS BETWEEN THE MULTI-ROLE AIRCRAFT AND SPECIALIZED AIRCRAFT, WHICH MAY BE ENABLED BY NEW "INTERMITTING" DATA LINK TECHNOLOGIES. FRONTIER PROPOSES TO INITIATE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING FOR THE "COMPLEMENTARY MULTI-ROLE FIGHTER" (CMRF) BY CONDUCTING AN ANALYSIS OF MISSION AND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SPECIAL STUDIES FOCUSSED ON "WATERBED" TOPICS. THE FIRST OF THESE WILL BE THE OPERATIONAL UTILITY AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF INTERNETTED, COMPLEMENTARY COMBAT OPERATIONS BETWEEN THE CMRF AND OTHER AIR VEHICLES. OTHER SPECIAL TOPICS WILL INCLUDE COST REQUIREMENTS, PRODUCTION TIMING, SURVIVABILITY, MULTI-ROLE TRAINING, BASING/SUPPORT CONCEPTS (INCLUDING RUNWAY REQUIREMENTS), SUPERMANEUVERABILITY UTILITY, FORCE MIX, ETC.