I recalled they said a demonstrator had flown, but not that the USAF had said it was a full scale flight demonstrator.
I stand corrected.
US F/A-XX and F-X 6th Gen Aircraft News Thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
I recalled they said a demonstrator had flown, but not that the USAF had said it was a full scale flight demonstrator.
I stand corrected.
I'd bet on something between an F-111 and a B-58 for unrefueled range. Shorter than the B-21, but significantly longer than the F-22 unrefueled. A bird probably larger than the F-111 with more modern materials and engines, but much smaller than the B-58.
Shall we place bets on the rough specs?
There's just too much uncertainty at this point.
Personally I'm happy to bet when I reckon the odds are 70% in my favour
Ok, fine, Mr Respectable and Responsible.
Reckless Gambler Ruin Run here:
~120k to 130k lbs max takeoff. 1,500 NM combat radius. 24k lbs payload neglecting a gun and DEW (integrated self defense pew pew). Magazine volume large enough for ~16 missiles. 2+ crew. 6 Gs top. March 1.5 max. Quite stealthy. Almost always operating with CCA.
54k kg to 59k kg, 2778 km, 13.6k kg in civilized units.
IDKisms:
Offensive EW able to fry electronics like missiles.
4 crew.
whether supercruise is compatible with variable cycle style engines.
What role cyberwarfare will be part of the 'payloads' carried.
laser com system laser and fdas are an interesting combo.
That said, Boeing gets the project and the cost triples and is delayed by 5 years. Lockheed gets it and the US will need to have another fighter program asap to keep the industry healthy.
4 crew feels like too many, maybe 2-3?
From a technical perspective, variable cycle engines should make supercruise easier.
I think 2 is the minimum, but I was thinking of the old Prowler. EW is 'simplified' but when you add in cyberwarfare and CCA coordination, I can see a 4 person crew.
I would think so, but I keep hearing about very high bypass for long distance cruising. Nada about supercruise. It could be assumed, of course.
It's just intriguing... they claim something but who knows.
Technically only mockup existed. but if they finished a A-12 avenger II prototype it would have been an interested concept to work on for a sixth generation platform in EW and net working of loyal wingman drones.
Clearly not sure that the need of supercruise is there at all, definition of sixth generation is probably still in work.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
It’s beyond unlikely that A12 or YF23 or any of the 1990s to 2000s era demonstration aircraft or models would be recycled into NGAD. I hear people proposing this all the time but remember.
1) they are old. Very old. It would take more money to refurbish them to take modern system for demonstration than to build new demonstration systems.
2) Most of them are museum pieces. Literally.
1) they are old. Very old. It would take more money to refurbish them to take modern system for demonstration than to build new demonstration systems.
2) Most of them are museum pieces. Literally.