US Navy Plans to Retire F-5 Jets Amid Rising Chinese Threats

The US Navy is moving to phase out some of its older aircraft systems as technological advancements accelerate. The F-5 Tiger II jets, which have served for decades as "Red Team" adversary fighters simulating Russian aircraft during training, are now being deemed insufficient for preparing against China’s modern air capabilities.

According to The National Interest, the Navy is set to retire its remaining F-5E/F Tiger II jets and replace them with F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft. This transition will end the long service of the versatile, low-cost F-5, which was never widely adopted across the fleet.

The National Interest noted that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, issued by the House Armed Services Committee, requested a report on transferring Super Hornet aircraft to replace the F-5s. This suggests that even after upgrades, the F-5s can no longer effectively simulate modern enemy threats.

This decision reflects the advancements made by the Chinese air force, although the F-5’s performance over its nearly 50 years of service has been commendable. The F-5 entered service with the US Navy as a training aircraft for adversary combat and has been closely linked to the Top Gun program, attack squadrons, and dissimilar air combat training. It even appeared in the film Top Gun, painted black to represent the fictional MiG-28.

For many years, the Navy valued the F-5 for its low operational cost, reliability, small visual profile, and agility in close maneuvers. It remains active today with squadron VFC-111 at Naval Air Station Key West and squadron VFC-203 at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans.

Despite its efficiency, the F-5 struggles increasingly to simulate modern Chinese and Russian fighter jets. To maintain its relevance, the Navy heavily invested in the Artemis upgrade program, which equipped the F-5 with new display screens, improved flight electronics, digital airborne data computers, and ADS-B transceivers.

The Tactical Air Command’s F-5AT variant received additional enhancements including Nemesis radar, a mission computer, radar warning receivers, helmet-mounted displays, data links, and threat simulation software. These upgrades made the modified F-5 significantly more capable than the original Cold War-era design.

However, the airframe itself remained unchanged, preserving the characteristics of a small third-generation fighter. The new electronics could not overcome the limitations imposed by the aging airframe or its performance constraints.

In contrast, the F/A-18 Super Hornet features the AN/APG-79 AESA radar, advanced electronic warfare systems, and targeting pods. These technologies allow it to simulate aircraft such as the Chinese J-16 or advanced Flanker variants with greater realism.

Compared to the F-5, the F/A-18 offers superior acceleration, better radar, a larger sensor suite, and improved maneuverability. While the F-5 has difficulty representing fourth-generation and newer fighters, the F/A-18 is itself a fourth-generation fighter and is expected to maintain strong competitive capabilities.

This transition aligns with the Navy’s intensified training for high-level Pacific conflicts, including large-scale air warfare against China’s advanced military capabilities. US pilots require adversaries that realistically resemble modern Chinese fighters rather than aircraft from the 1960s era.

The Air Force is following a similar path by allocating more F-35 aircraft and reducing reliance on older planes operated by contractors. Modern air combat increasingly depends on sensors, data links, electronic warfare, and long-range missiles. Training aircraft must replicate these capabilities to adequately prepare pilots for contemporary battlefields.

Nevertheless, the F/A-18 has drawbacks when used as an adversary aircraft. Its operating costs are significantly higher than those of the F-5, and the Navy is already facing a shortage of tactical aircraft. Therefore, the F/A-18 is likely to serve as a temporary solution for adversary training.

Future adversary roles may involve cooperative fighter aircraft or some form of autonomous systems. Ultimately, while the F-5 will remain one of the most successful adversary aircraft in US military history, the Pentagon’s preparations to confront Beijing prioritize realistic simulation of Chinese capabilities over the cost-effectiveness of a third-generation fighter.