The Teen Series is a popular name[1][2] for a group of American combat aircraft. The name stems from a series of American supersonic jet fighters built for the United States Air Force and the United States Navy during the late 20th century. The designations system was the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, which reset the F-# sequence. The term typically includes the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.[3]
Unsuccessful experimental and prototype fighters assigned numbers in the teen range (13–19) are generally not considered part of the series. Thus, it does not include the prototype Northrop YF-17, which later evolved into the F/A-18. Additionally, the designations F-13 and F-19 were not assigned.
Programs are underway to give some American "teen series" fighters this capability, albeit in a somewhat unusual way…
Unlike earlier designs, the ATF is a careful blend of advanced aerodynamics, propulsion and electronics and involves a degree of system integration never before attempted in a tactical aircraft. The reason for this unprecedented effort is quite clear - the Russians have finally deployed their equivalent to the teen series fighters (see May, June 1990 AA), the Flanker and Fulcrum, and have thus very rapidly closed the technological gap which offered such favourable exchange rates for so long.
The Sukhoi and MiG fighters were designed around the aerodynamic, propulsion and tactical ideas which were central to the US teen-series F-14, F-15, F-16 and F/A-18A fighters: highly agile 'energy fighters' capable...