USAF warms to the idea of an upgraded F-22 line.

a reply to: Barnalby

Oddly that would probably be one of the best places for it. Spirit is right there, so they could build some sections, and several other Aerospace companies are there.

a reply to: Jonjonj

If sixth gen works out anywhere like they want, it'll be much better. It won't be an easy development though.

a reply to: Zaphod58

So I suppose that the military would be thinking that the possibility of bringing the 22 back as a revamp is not without its champions, right? After all, isn't it better to have a proven something while you are waiting for the great next thing?

Can you tell I love the 22?

Apologies lol. It is a marvellous piece of technology.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Forensick

Speed, better sensors/fusion, netcentric capabilities.

The speed part escapes..The Raptor can't use the speed it's capable of now. ???

a reply to: nwtrucker

They want faster.

a reply to: Zaphod58

The air force wants faster. The Navy is not as interested.

I suspect we'll see a significant difference between the Navy & AF 6th gens.

Something faster than the F-22 ? with what kind of engine ? May be with more powerfull engine the F-22 will become more faster , may be in the mach 2.5/2.7 range, what you think of two F-135 engine ?

a reply to: anzha


Careful...now we're treading on F-35-like problems and costs.....

originally posted by: darksidius
Something faster than the F-22 ? with what kind of engine ? May be with more powerfull engine the F-22 will become more faster , may be in the mach 2.5/2.7 range, what you think of two F-135 engine ?

it already can't use the thrust available in the F-119. Canopy and skin issues(?). It's faster than the speeds you post now!!

a reply to: anzha

They've already said they're going to develop separate aircraft and go almost radically different routes.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I think the fans here at least keep thinking they'll be similar because they are 6th gen.

a reply to: nwtrucker

They will be separate aircraft. A lot of the issues with the F-35 has been trying to shoehorn everything in to one air frame.

a reply to: anzha

It's interesting to see the radical differences between the two platforms even from the same company. There are no official requirements, but the engineers are already putting interesting ideas together.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: anzha

It's interesting to see the radical differences between the two platforms even from the same company. There are no official requirements, but the engineers are already putting interesting ideas together.

Oh, quit your damn teasing.....

a reply to: nwtrucker

Everything I'm talking about is white world, from open sources.

There seems to be a never ending fascination in spending ever increasing amounts of money on shiny weapons systems that have little or no chance in seeing combat.

The Raptor whilst a nice platform is dead, little point in producing more, the existing ones are little more than airshow bunnies now. F35 may become a workable platform in another 7-8 years but is again a system designed for a conflict that's not going to happen and so no commander is going to risk such expensive airframes for jobs they weren't designed for knowing that new fused radar arrays can announce the arrival of the stealthy primadonnas and cheap shoulder launched units can drop them the moment they get down in the dirty air, 4th Gen all the way for nailing the mobile nasties.

There aren't going to be large scale conventional wars again, Russia & China have no need to start such an immature war. Small regional wars with the super power fighting by proxy are going to be the norm of modern warfare for a while. Little point in ultra expensive 5th Gen "stealth" platforms as down low is where all the fighting is, Close Air Support for ground troops is whats needed, an A10 replacement is required, Apache too, money far better spent.

The days of partners buying in to US projects have been ended by the F35 fiasco, no country can afford such costly cockups again and so more cost effective simpler and more reliable systems are what's needed,

a reply to: TheBogmonster

It always amazes me to see people going on about how stealth is dead, or stealth is useless, while we sit here watching stealth being built and put into service about as fast as they can all around the world.

originally posted by: anzha
a reply to: nwtrucker

They will be separate aircraft. A lot of the issues with the F-35 has been trying to shoehorn everything in to one air frame.

So that's a very quite truth that hasn't been stated much. The fact that we are facing '2' TWO 6th Gen platforms. Twice the cost...no wonder that aspect isn't well known.

I humbly suggest reopening the F-22 line-including technologies developed since the F-35- would be cheaper by far that two separate 6th Gen fighters......

a reply to: Zaphod58

How 'bout some picturess or drawings...?

a reply to: nwtrucker

Yes it will be two platforms but they're one platform for separate services. So saying that restarting the F-22 will be cheaper than building two sixth gen is disingenuous.