Northrop YF-17 Cobra As an Export Fighter Plane?

[TheRomanSlayer]

The YF-17 Cobra was still in its development stage when it was cancelled, but information on it had been applied to the development of the VFAX program when it lost to the F-16 in the LWF competition. The F-18 Hornet would later come out of the VFAX competition and its development from the YF-17.

Was it possible that with additional improvements, the YF-17 Cobra would have been a go-to for American fighter planes that would be sold to American allies and other nations that are interested in procuring the fighter plane? 

[lordroel]

Nov 22, 2021 20:21:26 GMT TheRomanSlayer said:

The YF-17 Cobra was still in its development stage when it was cancelled, but information on it had been applied to the development of the VFAX program when it lost to the F-16 in the LWF competition. The F-18 Hornet would later come out of the VFAX competition and its development from the YF-17.

Was it possible that with additional improvements, the YF-17 Cobra would have been a go-to for American fighter planes that would be sold to American allies and other nations that are interested in procuring the fighter plane? 

As the Wikipedia article says, countries who would like a F-15 type of fighter but not have one that is as large and to expensive.

[TheRomanSlayer]

True, and I would think that the other NATO members with a slightly more difficulty in procuring popular planes like the JAS Gripen would be eager to get their hands on the export version of the YF-17