US F/A-XX and F-X & NGAD - 6th Gen Aircraft News Thread

[Overbom]

The rational part of my brain agrees with you but the sentimental side realizes that they (aviation fans on reddit, forums, TWZ/Youtube comment sections) for around 14 fucking years and are you seriously suggesting that one day of gloating is too friggin much?

Cope of the day is that a prototype has being flying for 5 years already

 

[Aval]

They are holding up much better than I thought they would. However they’ve maintained an unspoken dignified silence over any analysis of canards, which is quickly becoming the “control surface that must not be named”. Over all the atmosphere there is one of somber introspection and not of jubilant chest thumping one usually sees there.

The more casual fan base has already started making jokes about apologising to the Europeans for the Euro-canards. Not a peep about the J-20 though. Dead silence, that is anything but dignified given the open admission to the much less maligned Euro-canards.

I daresay its an expected response. They can joke with their (perhaps now erstwhile) allies, but its tough to admit a genuine adversary was right.

 

[plawolf]

Cope of the day is that a prototype has being flying for 5 years already

Maybe 5 years when adjusted for inflation?

 

[AndrewJ]

Well, if the F-47 has to be cheap enough compared to the F-22 to be procured in greater numbers than the latter while having guaranteed inter-generational capability leap over the 5th-gens, then I believe that a F-35-sized F-47 would be the minimum.

Otherwise, there's perhaps going to be some rather major sacrifice in capabilities.

Or perhaps the USAF believes that it's a good idea to just outsource the radar and sensor systems to other allied manned aircrafts and loyal wingman UCAVs, although I don't think that this is necessarily a wise choice.

Remember this?

 

[Overbom]

Remember this?
View attachment 148416

Probably already outdated as USAF a few weeks ago recommended to terminate the NGAS program

 

[SlothmanAllen]

I don’t see this aircraft being F-35 sized. The aircraft that Boeing, Lockheed and Northrop were all in competition to build and built demonstrators for was a large dual engine aircraft designed to penetrate deep into contested airspace.

Though they paused the program, the result of the pause and review was that the US Air Force needed the NGAD-PCA (penetrating counter-air) as originally envisioned.

This was the aircraft that Boeing was going to be awarded a contract for back in June of 2024 and is the contract Boeing was awarded yesterday.

I don’t see the point of speculating about the aircraft being F-35 sized based on some artist renderings when the entire program from the beginning was designed to build a large dual engine aircraft.

 

[AndrewJ]

Probably already outdated as USAF a few weeks ago recommended to terminate the NGAS program

Indeed. So F-47 is an ultra-large plane !?

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if instead a long-range NGAD is acquired, then the need for stealth tankers decreases.

 

[iewgnem]

Then they said the plane had been secretly tested for five years. I don’t want to sound like a skeptic, but can’t help wondering if this number were just to skip over Biden’s term.

Flying an balsa RC plane counts as X-plane these days (X-48, X-56), any talk of "already flown" without any photo is pure American cope.

 

[iewgnem]

Indeed. So F-47 is an ultra-large plane !?

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No it just means they can't afford it, and they've been very public about inability to afford all the next gen programs they want.
For NGAS they're probably just telling themselves they'll use B-21 for that role.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

I don’t see this aircraft being F-35 sized. The aircraft that Boeing, Lockheed and Northrop were all in competition to build and built demonstrators for was a large dual engine aircraft designed to penetrate deep into contested airspace.

Though they paused the program, the result of the pause and review was that the US Air Force needed the NGAD-PCA (penetrating counter-air) as originally envisioned.

This was the aircraft that Boeing was going to be awarded a contract for back in June of 2024 and is the contract Boeing was awarded yesterday.

I don’t see the point of speculating about the aircraft being F-35 sized based on some artist renderings when the entire program from the beginning was designed to build a large dual engine aircraft.

Huh. If that's the case/In that case, then the F-47 won't be cheaper than the F-22. And it will be F-22/Flanker-sized.