The F-5E Tiger II Fighter Has a Message for the F-35

The F-5E Tiger II Fighter Has a Message for the F-35

Often overshadowed by the F-15 and F-16, the Northrop F-5E Tiger II remains one of history’s most successful fighters. Designed as an affordable, lightweight export jet, the F-5E prioritized agility and ease of maintenance over complex avionics. Its maneuverability made it the perfect "aggressor" aircraft for U.S. Navy TOPGUN training—and the fictional "MiG-28" in the movie Top Gun. Decades later, this simple jet is still flying, proving that pi…