Back from the dead, and out for blood

The F-32 descends from the Boeing X-35, which in 2001 lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 to win the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Shortly thereafter, the Skypark Air Service partnered with Boeing to further develop the X-32, as it fit the need of the SAS for a multirole fifth generation fight to replace many of it's own aging and outclassed aircraft. Its development is principally funded by the SAS, with additional funding from partner countries from the Mutual Defence Alliance(MDA). Several other countries have also ordered, or are considering ordering, the aircraft. The program has been met with much praise, as much of Skypark's air force was falling behind, and while cost overruns, development was relatively short, as much of the work had already been done by Boeing.

The F-32 first flew in 2008 and entered service with the Skypark Air Service in October 2018, and first used in combat in 2019 by the SAS in a short lived campaign against Maywar. The SAS plans to buy 3,658 F-32s through 2050, which will represent the bulk of the crewed tactical aviation of the SAS for several decades; the aircraft is planned to be a cornerstone of MDA and Skypark air power and to operate until 2090.

The F-32 is a single-engine, supersonic, stealth multirole fighters. The first fifth generation fighter to enter SAS service and the first operational supersonic STOVL stealth fighter, the F-32 emphasizes low observables, advanced avionics and sensor fusion that enable a high level of situational awareness and long range lethality; the SAS considers the aircraft its primary strike fighter for conducting suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions, owing to the advanced sensors and mission systems.

The F-32 has a wing-tail configuration with two vertical stabilizers canted for stealth. The relatively short 36-foot wingspan of the F-32 is set by the requirement to fit inside USN amphibious assault ship parking areas and elevators. Structurally, the F-32 drew upon lessons from the F-22; composites comprise 35% of airframe weight, with the majority being bismaleimide and composite epoxy materials as well as some carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy in later production lots. The F-32 is considerably heavier than the lightweight fighters it replaces, with the lightest variant having an empty weight of 38,500 lb (17,500 kg), much of the weight can be attributed to the internal weapons bays and the extensive avionics carried.

Features

- Full cockpit with ejection capabilities.
- Automatic Weapons bay doors; Bay doors open when target is selected
- VTOL and carrier takeoff abilities.
- Interchangeable External Weapons pods for different missions.
- Self-destruct system which activates after ejection.
- Custom landing gear.
- Ability to drop either all Air to Air or Air to Ground weapons.

Controls:

• 
• Main Throttle: primary engine
• Standard flight controls
• AG1: VTOL mode
  
  
  
  • VTOL lever: VTOL engine control
  
  
  • Trim: adjust VTOL nozzle angle
  
  
• AG2: drop external weapons pods
• AG3: drop all air to ground weapons
• AG4: drop all air to air
• AG5 + VTOL lever: extend refuel
• AG6: blow off canopy
• AG7: eject and engage self-destruct
• Joystick:
  
  
  
  • Trigger: fire guns
  
  
  • Button 1: fire weapons
  
  
  • Button 2: fire flares
  
  
• Throttle:
  
  
  
  • Button 1: next target
  
  
  • Button 2 previous target
  
  

Air to Air variant

External Weapons Pods