Northrop Grumman has just released an animation that shows how 6th Generation fighters might look

well there are 2 platforms, one for the navy and one for the airforce. Now hopefully they pick 2 differant platforms for maximum capability. and not a common airframe bs

FAXX5.jpg



here is boeing for the navy

Seems odd that they wouldn't be pilotless. Not sure about a common airframe, but the Boeing cost cutting scheme for the LRS-B seemed to revolve around it being a parts bin special.
 
Seems odd that they wouldn't be pilotless. Not sure about a common airframe, but the Boeing cost cutting scheme for the LRS-B seemed to revolve around it being a parts bin special.

I don't know if "we" are ready to trust the job to an AI yet. Otherwise, remote control signals are jammable...
 
I don't know if "we" are ready to trust the job to an AI yet. Otherwise, remote control signals are jammable...

I'd have thought the drone program would have provided solutions by now. Anyway, it's a promo animation, and I'm sure piloted planes are more appealing before a budget committee than drones costing over half a billion.
 
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I'd have thought the drone program would have provided solutions by now. Anyway, it's a promo animation, and I'm sure piloted planes are more appealing before a budget committee than drones costing over half a billion.
I've heard whispers about them being optionally piloted. Could be an easier sell...
 
True. Nevertheless their lethality has shifted western airpower doctrine away from being in the WVR arena for any great length of time (hence the heavy investment in network centrism and signals management/reduction... what the media might call "stealth"). The simple reality is that dogfighting is a high attrition endeavour for everyone these days, hence the west has in many ways shifted its focus to winning the air battle via alternative approaches.
Having kinematic advantage never hurts, regardless of whether you actually engage in dogfights. I suspect dogfighting might actually be the norm due to the proliferation of low observable planes.


Easy. Because:

A.) I didnt say yaw or pitch rate were irrelevant, just less so these days. There is a growing trend (in western doctrine) away from having the pilot do the hard maneuvering, and towards having the weapon system do it instead. That said, a B2 is obviously too cumbersome in both speed AND maneuverability to deal with those "oh sh*t" scenarios where Murphy's Law takes effect.

B.) "Laser turrets" can still be saturated. They are not a panacea, but they will almost certainly be a game changer in the A-A arena.

C.) B2s are horrifically expensive. The USAF simply could not field enough of them to cover its global commitments/interests. Nobody else would be able to afford them at all. The fleet would also have zero room for attrition.

D.) The USN couldn't fit them on their carriers. Not much more to say here really.

E.) Turreted lasers are only likely to function effectively in the WVR or near BVR range in their immediate future due to their energy demands. 6th gen aircraft are probably still going to need to be able to use A-A missiles to some degree in the air superiority role, and thus confer upon them all the kinematic advantages that a B2 or similar is simply incapable of doing - particularly in BVR combat.
You can tout these laser turrets all you like, but the material reality is they are far from ready for trial on fighters jets let alone combat deployment. The funny thing about future is that it never quite goes exactly how you envision it to be, if history has taught us anything. US is not the only power to focus on network centric warfare. In fact, it was the Russians who came up with the initial concept.
 
Having kinematic advantage never hurts, regardless of whether you actually engage in dogfights. I suspect dogfighting might actually be the norm due to the proliferation of low observable planes.

You seem to be conflating "dogfighting" with WVR/near BVR combat generally here (presumably based on the assumption that VLO aircraft will need to get this close to find/engage eachother). They are not the same thing.

Getting bogged down "in the merge" is not a good idea today if you want to rack up a favorable kill/loss ratio, and there is no indication this is going to change in the foreseeable future, even after VLO jets become widespread - ergo, western A-A doctrine;

In short: information > kinematics. The former is what wins fights, especially when the latter is limited by the physiology of the meat bag in the driver's seat.

You can tout these laser turrets all you like, but the material reality is they are far from ready for trial on fighters jets let alone combat deployment.

Huh? I literally just acknowledged that:

"B.) "Laser turrets" can still be saturated. They are not a panacea, but they will almost certainly be a game changer in the A-A arena.

E.) Turreted lasers are only likely to function effectively in the WVR or near BVR range in their immediate future due to their energy demands. 6th gen aircraft are probably still going to need to be able to use A-A missiles to some degree in the air superiority role, and thus confer upon them all the kinematic advantages that a B2 or similar is simply incapable of doing - particularly in BVR combat."


I'm not "touting" anything - merely relaying what the USAF/USN plan for their 6th gen fighters to be capable of and why - airborne lasers being an example of such.

The funny thing about future is that it never quite goes exactly how you envision it to be, if history has taught us anything. US is not the only power to focus on network centric warfare. In fact, it was the Russians who came up with the initial concept.

...and?
 
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Actually the Russian S400 and S500 will probably still wack you up there too... :(


well depends. The S-400 ceiling last i looked is 10k.


TR-X program might be able to reshape SAM Tech
 
well depends. The S-400 ceiling last i looked is 10k.


TR-X program might be able to reshape SAM Tech

I honestly don't know the ceiling but I suspect the new 40N6 for the S400 would do better than 10km up.
 
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You're not a fan of the tailless design?

I still believe Northrop's YF-23 was the one that should have been chosen for 5th Gen. Hopefully the government makes the right choice and chooses them for the 6th. This thing looks like it has some serious potential.
 
WTF. The top pic is essentially the YF-23.

The bottom pic looks like a better one Lockheed should go for. But either way, I'd choose Northrop.

Are Boeing and Lockheed together now?


the very bottom one in the link is the switchblade concept . (the movie stealth brought that concept to life lol)


the one in the middle is bowing.
 
Cause we need more billion dollar planes.

Laughable.

It is, but what about space planes. Fly to the moon and skim the canyons while blasting heavy metal. Space pilots bitches!!!

Ruskis said they will develop 6th gen as will china so best best your ass Murica will make a trillion dollar attempt at one that farts magic and fires
lightning.
 
It is, but what about space planes. Fly to the moon and skim the canyons while blasting heavy metal. Space pilots bitches!!!

Ruskis said they will develop 6th gen as will china so best best your ass Murica will make a trillion dollar attempt at one that farts magic and fires
lightning.


Much more important than schools and failing infrastructure.
. More money spent on nonsense


And after these are made we'll hear how we need the 7th generation ones in a few more years to the tune of trillions more.

Keep feeding the war machine America.
 
Much more important than schools and failing infrastructure.
. More money spent on nonsense


And after these are made we'll hear how we need the 7th generation ones in a few more years to the tune of trillions more.

Keep feeding the war machine America.

Mehh
when aliens invade you'll be kissing someones ass that those 7th gen fighters exist to put up a fight.
 
Mehh
when aliens invade you'll be kissing someones ass that those 7th gen fighters exist to put up a fight.


Lol.

Only in America do we defeat an army that is hundreds of decades more advanced than us
 
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