The Beast the US Navy Built but Never Used

Video Description

They heard it would be the aircraft that would finally bring frontline American technology within their reach. It’s 1983, and a group of South Korean defense procurement officials excitedly enters a meeting room to get a glimpse of the Northrop F-20 Tigershark, the United States’ latest jet fighter. Their eyes widen. On the screen, the soaring aluminum hero comes bursting through the clouds at Mach 2. They listen intently as the film’s narrator lays out the fighter’s impressive features and capabilities. Excellent thrust-to-weight ratio. High maneuverability. Solid reliability and ease of maintenance. As fast as an F-16 at half the cost—exactly what they’ve been looking for. Just as it couldn’t get any better: legendary American war hero and sound-barrier-breaking test pilot Chuck Yeager. His ringing endorsement is all they need to hear. The Tigershark is all set to revolutionize the air forces of the USA’s allies across the globe. Yet when they need it most, it is nowhere to be found… --- Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between. As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.