The F-302 is shorter than an F-14 Tomcat but much wider, and it is tall enough to demand a hangar spanning several ordinary deck levels. The Tomcat can also sweep its wings for storage, whereas the fictional interceptor retains its broad fixed footprint. Its mixed propulsion and armament make sense for a craft expected to fight in atmosphere and space, with railguns for close combat and nuclear missiles for anti-ship attack. The AIM-120 seems an odd starting point for a long-range space interceptor, while the AIM-54 Phoenix provides a more instructive comparison. An embarked aircraft's geometry, maintenance needs, and chosen weapons shape the carrier around it.
Chapter · 57:50-1:01:19
The F-302 shapes hangar and weapons design
The F-302's span, height, propulsion, and mixed weapons impose carrier-scale hangar demands and raise questions about its missile selection.