A Lightning F7 was muted by BAe from as early as 1963 with the following:
- variable geometry wings
- extended fuselage
- relocated undercarriage
- underwing hardpoints
- cheek mounted intakes
- new radar for use with Sparrow / Skyflash
- originally it was going to be single seat - later idea was 2-seat a la T5
A Sea Lightning was also proposed.
Later the Anglo-French Variable Geometry (AFVG) was originally going to have an AD role for the RAF. It switched to strike / attack - at this point to supplement the F-111K - after the decision to buy F-4K was made
Personally I would much rather have seen F-4E (twice as many compared to Phantom FG1/FGR2 for the same money) - Buccaneer 2* instead of Tornado GR1 - and F-15E when it was offered around 1989/1990 for GBP 15M each if memory serves correctly (which at the time was about what was being paid for the much less capable Harrier GR5).
Last edited by RAFEngO74to09; 2nd Nov 2017 at 21:47.