5th gen fighter jets rule the skies right now. But by 2030, they will most likely be obsolete. This is because 6th Gen fighters are rapidly being prototyped by many powerful nations such as China, Russia, India, a few countries in the EU like the UK and Italy, Japan, and of course, the United States.
What is a 6th gen fighter?
A 6th generation fighter jet must have many key features such as: Stealth capabilities, a high top speed and great maneuverability, a long flight range, and the ability to house many different types of weapons, such as various types of missiles and bombs. Many 6th gen fighter jet concepts, including ones from the U.S. and China, have some form of augmented reality being displayed on the pilot’s helmet visor. The concepts range from simple gauges for things like speed and fuel, to making the plane look almost transparent from the perspective of the pilot. When it comes to making a 6th generation fighter jet, all these features must be in place or the plane will not be able to engage enemy fighters and win.
Who will develop one first?
Many countries are racing to develop 6th generation fighters. As for who will develop one first, we can’t quite know for sure, but several countries are already developing concepts. The NGF (Next Generation Fighter) is a joint venture between France, Germany, and Spain, with a development budget of well over 100 billion dollars! The aircraft is expected to be flying by 2030, with full introduction by 2040, however there are some disagreements between these countries, which could push back these dates. And China or Russia might come out with something between 2030 and 2040, but both countries currently have mediocre 5th generation capabilities, so I am not too hopeful for a highly advanced 6th gen fighter from either of these countries, not to mention Russia's current military state after their invasion of Ukraine. So what about the U.S.?
NGAD
The Next Generation Air Dominance fighter platform (NGAD) could very well be the single most powerful fighter platform. Ever. The United States of America’s own 6th gen platform could be crucial in protecting the U.S. in the case of a potential Chinese invasion. The NGAD platform is going to include some of the most cutting edge technologies in the world. These range from adaptive engines, to an autonomous drone flying alongside the wings of the jet, to even making the pilot able to see through the plane using augmented reality! These planes might even be able to fly themselves, without a pilot! All this tech, combined with a several billion dollar development budget will be used to make this plane almost invincible in a battle with any other plane. In addition to these brand new technologies, NGAD will also incorporate some age old features such as missiles and bombs (all be it they will probably be laser guided and have some other insane mod cons) and possibly a gun, although the use for rapid firing machine guns on aircraft is fading, as there hasn’t been a dogfight in decades. Digital engineering technologies will play a crucial role in the development of this aircraft. Designers will be able to easily edit models and test features, without ever having to build an actual prototype during the early stages of development, although in later stages, test flights and wind tunnels will have to be used to make sure the aircraft works in real world scenarios.
Conclusion
I hope you have learned something from this article. Whether it is the technologies that will be part of these jets, or the countries involved in making 6th generation fighter jets, everything about these planes is just amazing!
Citations:
Losey, Stephen. “Future fighter program poses key test for US Air Force’s design method”, 30 Aug 2023, https://www.defensenews.com/air/2023/08/30/future-fighter-program-poses-key-test-for-us-air-forces-design-method/
Tirpak, John A. “The Sixth Generation Fighter”, 1 Oct 2009, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/1009fighter/