"The F-5 is easily one of the best fighters ever made. In combat, I am confident in the abilities of the F-5 in a dogfight against any aircraft."
-Lt. Michael Garcia, 121st Fighter Squadron, Paternian Air Force

An F-5 Tiger in service with the Paternian Air Force. In the early 1950's, the Paternian Air Force recognized that it needed a substantial upgrade to its fleet of jet fighters, which were rapidly becoming obsolete. In the 1951 White Paper, it recognized that the F-3 Hawk would soon become obsolete.

Thus, the Paternian Air Force put out a contract to procure an aircraft that can fulfill the roles of interceptor, fighter-bomber, and air superiority fighter. Numerous designs were submitted, but only a few made it through. The Lockheed Skunk Works proposal, the F-104 Starfighter, would fulfill the interceptor role but was clearly unsuitable as a fighter-bomber or air superiority fighter. The Northrop proposal, the F-5, was found to be suitable as an air superiority fighter with secondary function as a fighter-bomber. Thus, in 1956, the F-5 was accepted into Paternian Air Force service, and was an instant hit. The type would continue to serve the Paternian Air Force to this day.