Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin

Model: unknown

Name: StarBolt

Type: Jet fighter

Date:

Status: Service test

Country: United States of America

Service: U.S. Air Force

Designation: YF-45A

What if Lockheed Martin answered a tender to procure a lightweight fighter by the year 2025?

By reusing some of the F-35 experience and engineering, they might come up with this VLF (Very Light Fighter) contender, the Lockheed Martin YF-45A Starbolt... that is, unless some clever Congressmen decide to give it the axe...

A comparison between this image and the original photo of the X-35A prototype (below right) shows clearly what modifications were made: shortened fins and elevators, fuselage narrowed, side air intakes removed (the sole air intake is now ventral)... New markings were applied to make it look like a company demonstrator.

As to the logo "Starbolt" on the nose, I must admit I cheated a bit... it was a logo for a totally different product by the same name which I found on a Google search, but it looked so right that I decided to keep it all the same!

• Well, if you think about it, ultra-light fighter might come in handy, for protecting carriers and fighting in local conflicts. (It is been said, that for a number of milltary operations in 2000s Il-2 would be no less useful than MiG-29 and F-16). By the way, can you make something Flanker or PAK-FA based? (ACZCipher)
• Ventral intake? Cool (Lyriato)