initially privately financed light fighter designed built development began evolution tiger featuring new engine greatly improved overall performance modern suite including powerful flexible radar compared faster gained visual range air air capability suite air ground modes capable firing weapons improved capabilities competitive contemporary fighter designs expensive purchase operate development carried project called sought develop fighters capable combat latest soviet aircraft excluding sensitive line technologies united_states_air_force aircraft product carter administration military export policies aimed provide foreign nations high quality equipment risk line technology falling soviet hands high hopes international market policy changes following ronald_reagan election meant compete sales aircraft like latest fighter design development program abandoned prototypes built fourth partially completed development kennedy administration entered office instructed find inexpensive fighter aircraft united_states offer allies number designs studied including stripped versions lockheed newly designed april united_states_air_force informed united_states secretary defense selected designation given freedom fighter early marks produced common initiated program provide equivalent allies desired light weight fighter competitive performance inexpensive purchased large numbers reasonable operating costs prospective customer nations numerous companies entered designs existing leading position submitted upgrade tiger radar changes allow missile fired wing tip rails november entry announced winner produced total tiger time manufacturing ended export limitations late 1970s taiwan air_force started looking fighter aircraft match improvements mainland air force particular wanted platform capable firing long range missile time process opening ties president nixon famous visit china considered support taiwan interests wanted carefully blocked export capable aircraft outdated early models phantom suggested israeli instead rejected taiwan producing license asked study adding capable radar tiger alternative effort studies spring administration announced new military export policy limited sales line designs countries nato australia japan carter stated time world champion peace world leading supplier weapons war previously coherent export policy concerns latest technologies quickly end soviet hands numerous exceptions israel egypt buy advanced designs camp david agreements israel allowed buy key component air defense technology iran receiving demonstrated problem advanced exports february reports emerged iran sold soviets south_korea order initially blocked policy later allowed context strengthening relations despite exceptions export policy implemented covering potential current customers relatively modest upgrade appeared strong position sales given limitations placed rival designs carter personally blocked sales problems export policy apparent soviets continued sell newer aircraft designs clients placing allies disadvantage denied countries turning vendors modern fighters notably france assistant director testified reductions foreign arms transfers actually encouraged nations increased worldwide arms sales time considerable pressure provide suitable aircraft taiwan argued needed modern counterpart role occupied 1960s 1970s light carter concerns suggested new aircraft designed role based technology pose threat lengthy study january president carter allowed development new export fighter use advanced systems aircraft unlike programs led entirely privately financed companies market aircraft directly sales handled secretary defense responded requirement variant replacing engine downgraded responded emerges ronald_reagan administration took power export restrictions place carter administration slowly relaxed program continued normal number events eroded value program limit potential sales signing joint major agreement arms sales continued blocking sales point started light fighter project signing signaling taiwan receive modern aircraft taiwan primary focus result sales potential remained summer deputy secretary defense sent memorandum air_force navy encouraging seek potential foreign customers aircraft months later sent classified memo services abandon green lighting line fighters overseas december prompting white_house reversed position directed air_force fund small number fiscal year budget future program doubtful following agreement sell pakistan felt needed match performance require better performance engine new comparable suite saw viewed fighter low cost option second tier air forces combat perception requested designation approved late march design primary design change earlier use single engine originally designed new engine provided thrust compared combined output paired improved aircraft thrust weight ratio new engine gave speed ceiling initial climb rate minute min wing profile remained modified leading edge extensions improved maximum lift wing increase wing area original aircraft fairly sluggish pitch horizontal increased size new dual channel fly wire control system added aircraft pitch modifying improved turn rate sec sustained turn rate rose sec compared sec turn rates higher greater usage composite materials construction development areas metal designed use numerous upgrades mechanical parts suite new greatly improved earlier designs general_electric multi mode radar heart suite offering wide range air air air ground modes electro mechanical navigation system replaced electronic version based ring laser time power able launch greatly reduced result seconds boasted aircraft shortest scramble time contemporary aircraft cockpit completely worked large heads display multi function displays set high control panel addition complete hands throttle stick control system promised reliability competing aircraft service able utilize common weapons inventory including entire range mark series bombs air ground missile air air missiles like earlier test equipped cannon mounted nose production substituted cannons instead based lighter higher rate fire problems inherent small size low mounted wing meant limited ground clearance position landing gear meant loads positioned outer ends wings limited hard point weights single hard point fuselage carry single bomb bombs additionally wing improved lift higher angles attack maneuvering improve cruise lift performance normal present problem fighter role severely reduce range figures compared similar aircraft like offered low cost option significantly expensive expensive designs like million eagle million fighting falcon projected consume fuel require maintenance manpower lower operating maintenance costs times reliability average line designs era offer ability fire visual range missile capability lacked time gain block version february operational history testing august original engine change serial registered maiden flight piloted minute flight prototype climbed reached demonstrated outstanding reliability end april flights accumulated including evaluation flights potential customer nations second prototype serial number registered featuring complete suite flight august fly total flights prior termination exclusively flown ideal conditions note prototype approach intended production quality aircraft page report case study june test program fired february air ground testing fired folding fin aerial rockets dropped bombs fired rounds gun pod barrel addition internal cannon flight characteristics ability fly mph angle attack limited acceleration seconds climb minutes including sec start ins set signed memorandum agreement air_force air_force responsible performance air fixed price program legend employed spokesperson touted aircraft magnificent featured advertising november customer south_korea explored local production support improvements implemented included upgrades expanded fuel tank use changes extensive fourth prototype built test involved number simultaneous negotiations prospects appeared positive october crashed south_korea demonstration flight killing pilot investigation cleared mechanical design faults concluded excessive forces crashed bay killing pilot crash blamed barnes practicing routine paris air battle sales december president reagan reacting soviet invasion afghanistan signed major economic military aid package pakistan included offer keeping policy soviet_union idea ring countries soviet invasion afghanistan initially viewed attempt break arranged system placed priority quickly building new layer defense allies saw potential break policy began requesting best approval increasingly granted starting venezuela long examined project agreed buy replacing fleet ground attack aircraft sweden decided develop design september turkey announced plans buy replace long time rival receiving purchased november giving firm pledge secrecy late government financial commitment help israel develop new fighter objected potential competitor export market privately fund government directly foreign competitor congressional support israel overruled complaints complaints branches government companies marketed directly foreign air forces program marketed policy umbrella submit piece marketing material government review months interest selling perspective aircraft leading approach led complaints government promoting congressional investigation air_force starting march congress chaired series hearings secretary state security assistance science technology testified policy result sales spite government support stated sales arms primarily matter foreign policy commercial venture ceo argued little point independently developing aircraft companies reliant government sell suggested concept dropped allowed sold additionally brigadier general director testified air_force actively marketing observed years sold fighters countries compared france aircraft exports showing market low cost fighter existed committee concluding remarks accused rhetoric lacking support april congressional hearings directed promote actively potential customers june performance cost air_force published internal report late june characterized having outstanding performance viable threats seen candidate air_force requirement report additionally stated contractor funded totaling million compared million report concluded little market sell interest encourage sales larger production numbers drive cost unit noted cast air_force bad light aircraft developed independent input authors shared conclusion contrast heavily involved hierarchy originating group officers known fighter mafia march secretary state policy despite calls support abandoned roles possibility purchase opened small number aircraft air combat training style training introduced united_states_navy school simulate november congress directed navy air_force study use single aircraft type fill similar roles services january navy announced selected specially version rumored aircraft sold loss market chance upgrade claimed fast scramble time natural fit role lower cost allow operate larger aircraft numbers supported additionally competing air_force production able replace aircraft quickly air_force requirements priorities favoring role flew lower unit costs maintain better equip units perform line combat roles disputed lower cost claim research october air_force announced selected upgraded support nations suggested accept condition inducted selection heavy blow cancellation years buyers late cancelled billion project reluctant protest perceived fear losing support project spirit stealth bomber ongoing negotiations canceled small order later scandal emerge attempts market south_korea leading managers resigning chief executive retired late 1980s local production discussed india 1980s market aircraft license production manufacture aircraft evaluated pakistani contingent united_states flown senior pakistani air force fighter pilot components radar end successful taiwan selected south_korea adopted golden eagle trainer aircraft radar multinational sales prospects apparent early sold radar division eventually acquired aviation author wrote best fighters went production discussing military stated competition served lower prices generate massive savings government writing prior cancellation noted commonly described privately funded combat aircraft recent history commented logical choice saudi_arabia chance selected political factors competition candidates aircraft disposition serial number crashed air base south_korea october pilot killed serial number crashed bay canada pilot killed serial number california science center los_angeles california specifications data complete encyclopedia world aircraft general characteristics crew pilot length wingspan missiles missiles height wing area weight loaded weight max takeoff weight powerplant lbf performance maximum speed miles hour combat radius nmi mission gal drop tanks ferry range nmi gal drop tanks service ceiling rate climb min wing loading thrust weight armament guns cannons nose rounds external capacity bombs missiles rockets drop tanks extended range rockets rocket pods rocket pods rockets rocket pods rockets missiles launch rails similar launch air surface missiles bombs air ground ordnance mark series iron bombs including practice bombs cluster bomb munitions bomb
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