The new 6th Gen aircraft will give the US Air Force (USAF) aerial superiority. It is expected to operate with the F-35 and the F-22.
The press statement from the USAF about a new cutting-edge fighter took everyone by surprise. One of the questions is, how was it able to fly so early? If it does exist, how will it affect the standing of the F-35 and F-22?
Plans are already laid out for the production of the next generation air dominating fighter plane. The company who will make it was not identified for security reasons, reported Fox News.
Only a few aerospace companies have the means to build this dominating fighter. It is not clear whether it is in the actual prototyping stage or what company got the contract.
Both Lockheed and Northrop have made stealth planes and have the technology to add to any advanced fighter systems. This is a top-secret, for your eyes only, and only a few have been privileged to know about it. Considering the blackout on the B-21 stealth bomber's progress, only a few details are known, but it is already slated for first flight next year or so.
Technical advances that will be incorporated into these advanced airframes are pretty obvious in recent reports.
What would happen to the F-35 that will be upgraded and be used into the 2070s, with the F-32 expected to carry and supplement the next-gen planes?
The development of the advanced fighter from prototyping and conceptualization was begun a year ago. As planning was ongoing, it was stressed why it was needed to complement the F-35 that is unmatched by any fighter today. There will be upgrades and mods that will be added too.
Also read: Air Force Approves B-21 Avionics, Says the Stealth Bomber is On Track
Sources say several points cover how the advanced fighter and F-35 will work together seamlessly. The F-35 will get the most modernization to make it capable, even against the new 6th gen aircraft.
There is no doubt that the next US fighter has been flown by the US military, whether in actual or virtual flight. In the planning stage, when a host of new technologies were still not fully developed yet, some of these technologies are still not ready for use. Such are the stealth technologies, including new radar-evading configurations, coating materials, and advanced thermal-signature reduction that will be combat-ready faster than expected.
A game-changer will be new stealth technologies and sensors that are linked to AI sensors that adjust the plane to outperform enemies in combat. All this new tech keeps the US Air Force on the cutting edge.
Developers in the Air Force are confident that cutting edge stealth tech for fighters are available or almost available. This encourages them to push the advanced fighters to the maximum, running the knife-edge of applicable technology.
A naval postgraduate School essay, "The 6th-Generation Quandry," explored the cancellation of advanced fighters until more definite advances are already here.
Another option is upgrading the F-35 or F-22 while these technologies are in development.
Options like the F-35, upcoming B-21s, drones, weaponized arsenal planes are all there, but the US Air Force thinks a 6th gen aircraft that is "stealthily advanced" is still needed.
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