Programmed to Fail - 6. Innovation
Acquisition Talk
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The Fighter Mafia
The lightweight fighter program would have continued to be threatened by the Air Force's F-15 if not for two developments. McDonald Douglas engineers provided critical insights into the fly-by wire system necessary to the YF-16 design. Colonel Riccioni was a master promoter of the lightweight fighter concept, but rubbed some officials the wrong way. Even with substantial help from Packard, the fighter Mafia's Harry Hillaker judged the F-16 would never have flown without buy-in from Air Force regulars.
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