Northrop F-20 Tigershark
Northrop · United States · first flew 1982 · fighter
The Northrop F-20 Tigershark was a privately-funded lightweight fighter developed by Northrop in the early 1980s as an export alternative to the F-16. It was an advanced evolution of the F-5, replacing the twin-engine layout with a single powerful GE F404 turbofan.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-engine lightweight fighter derived from F-5
- Ventral air intake replacing F-5's twin cheek inlets
- Single large afterburning turbofan versus F-5's twin engines
Resembles the F-5E but distinguished by a single large ventral chin intake replacing the twin cheek inlets, a longer nose, and a wider, deeper fuselage. The single-engine configuration gives a slimmer rear fuselage profile than the twin-engine F-5.
Specifications
- The Northrop F-20 Tigershark has a length of 14.4 m (47 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.13 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1912 km/h (1188 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Northrop invested heavily in the F-20 without government funding, hoping to capture foreign military sales markets where the Reagan administration restricted F-16 exports. Three prototypes were built and demonstrated impressive performance, including rapid scramble times. Despite superior economics and performance claims, no orders materialized, and the program was cancelled in 1986 after two of the three prototypes were lost in fatal accidents.
Variants
Only three prototypes were built; no production variants or export models were completed. The YF-20A designation was applied to the prototypes.
Where you'll see it
Never entered service; all flying was conducted as manufacturer demonstration aircraft. One surviving airframe is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center.
Related aircraft
- Northrop Tacit Blue
- Northrop YF-17
- F-5 Tiger II
- Northrop BQM-74 Chukar
- Ilyushin Il-102
- MB-339PAN
- Myasishchev M-17 Stratosfera
- AV-8B Harrier II
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.