NGAD: The Classified 6th Generation Stealth Fighter The Air Force Wants
ByChristian OrrPublished18 hours ago
NGADNGAD artist concept from Northrop Grumman.
For all of their technological marvels and impressive on-paper fighting capabilities – not to mention Hollywood hoopla thanks to the Top Gun sequel – fifth-generation stealth fighters are still comparatively untested in real-world combat. Yes, the Israeli Air Force has used their Adir (“Mighty One”) variant of the F-35 Lightning II against Iranian ground targets and UAVs. But none of these planes has faced a manned enemy aircraft in combat.
Still, air forces around the world are already looking forward, seeking to develop the first sixth-generation fighter planes. In the United States, sixth-generation ambitions manifest themselves in the form of the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, or NGAD. Given the well-publicized teething issues of the F-35, it is only natural to wonder whether NGAD will be a viable weapons system – physically or financially.
The Next Generation
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/07/ngad-sixth-generation-will-it-happen/
