Future US Navy Air Wing 2030

A future US Navy Air Wing, starting from 2024, will require an air superiority fighter-interceptor (with range), a large long range strike bomber, a recon/strike drone, an AWACs platform and AEW drone, an electronic warfare platform, a dedicated fixed wing ASW platform and multiple tanking aircraft (using the same airframe as the ASW platform and the strike bomber). The compliment of rotary wing aircraft will consist of coaxial rotor machines. The following is intended as a conceptual exercise that lays out basic necessary elements and capability.

FA-XX 'Grey Ghost', intended as a direct replacement for the F-14D Super Tomcat*. This aircraft must be designed primarily as a long range interceptor. A development of the YF-23 would provide the Navy with the correct type of platform in the shape of the FA-23:

A-64A 'Intruder II': A twin engine, conventional take off and landing, two seat, F-111 sized, X-32 winged aircraft acting as an A-6E Intruder replacement:

EA-64A 'Prowler II': The electronic warfare variant of the above.

QR-47B 'UCAV': Unmanned recon and strike drone.

AEW Tiltrotor UAV: Long endurance picket line sensor controlled via E-2D or the carrier.

E-2D Hawkeye: AWACs currently in service (upgraded versions).

 

S-3B/C Viking: New built as a dedicated ASW platform and tanker.

C-3A 'Cargo Viking' (mod) as a COD aircraft (replacing the proposed MV-22).

 

Additional Aircraft: Variants of the single engined, conventional take off and landing, delta-winged X-32 (see here for details) to act as a lower cost, low threat environment attack platform, operating in the role of an A-7 Corsair II, and a navalised version of the Embraer Super Tucano acting in a similar cost effective capacity.

Helos: Naval variants of the Coaxial Rotor S-97 Raider (see below) and the SB-1 Defiant:

All the fixed wing aircraft outlined here could easily be fielded by the UK's Royal Navy provided they convert their carriers to a catapult system.

*Note that the FA-18 Hornet (not mentioned on this page), although maneuverable, lacked the range of the F-14D when it came to fleet air defence. The FA-23 is intended as a direct replacement for that earlier aircraft. Futhermore, the Hornet was not a direct replacement, in terms of range and payload, for the A-6E Intruder, hence the 'Intruder II' concept inclusion. 

Related:

The YF-23 Naval Strike Fighter Promo Video: