6th Generation Fighter Meta Thread

Supposedly, the GCAP/Tempest/new name and acronym this week 6th gen will be flying within 5 years:

breakingdefense.com...

The UK testbed aircraft will move ahead:

breakingdefense.com...
www.flightglobal.com...

The UK thinks the different 6th gen fighter programs can collaborate without uniting:

breakingdefense.com...

Dassault's CEO is worried Germany might limit where the FCAS/SCAF can be exported to:

www.flightglobal.com...

With the little snippets and leaks and teases coming out, I can’t help but think back to 2014 when we were all caught off guard by two very interesting photos making in into the headlines for a few weeks.

Wichita and Amirillo… Any ideas whether or not either of those had anything to do with NGAD or, if not, maybe what they were?

a reply to: sqd5driver

Yes, and nothing to do with NGAD. The answers were in the threads, but as usual someone came along and said “maybe it’s this!” and everyone was off and running again.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: sqd5driver

Yes, and nothing to do with NGAD. The answers were in the threads, but as usual someone came along and said “maybe it’s this!” and everyone was off and running again.

Buddy, if we all had a dollar for every time the folks here (including yours truly) had it figured out then fumbled the whole thing and ended up on an entirely different topic, I’d wager we’d have a STACK.

I’ve seen it in the F-117 companion thread, the Green Lady threads, and a few others that got a lot of interaction. Poor Boomer…I could almost literally hear that poor guy getting grey hairs in a few threads. For what it’s worth, most of us appreciate the fact that those of you who have a clue can’t always necessarily hand it to us.

A model for a Chinese aerospace conference. It's a hypothetical 6th gen aircraft. Funny how much it looks like the Lockheed outline they released. Even funnier is that this model predates the release for well over a year, possibly 2.

Rumor has it Northrop has dropped out of the running for ngad.

a reply to: anzha

Not a rumor. They chose not to bid to be prime, but want to be a subcontractor for whoever wins.

a reply to: Zaphod58

rotating pulse detonation wave drive?

paging Amarillo

a reply to: Zaphod58

yup.

Heard before the articles:

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: anzha
That only leaves Skunk works doesnt it?Didnt Boeing pull out as well early on the piece?

a reply to: Blackfinger

No, Boeing just built new facilities at Phantom Works believed to be for NGAD. I haven't seen anything about them pulling out.

F/A-XX has been getting funding under a SAP known as Link Plumeria.

aviationweek.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

why is it named after a flower?

a reply to: Zaphod58

LINK PLUMERIA (USN, tactical RDT&E program, PE 0603748N) has been around since at least 2005, and probably longer. A budget document from February 2015 describes it as "Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Navy / BA 4: Advanced Component Development & Prototypes." According to an analysis of the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) budget by Todd Harrison, Metrea Strategic Insights, "The Navy’s LINK PLUMERIA, a named classified program (in contrast to the unnamed classified programs previously discussed) ranks as the fourth largest program element in RDT&E over the FYDP." It sounds like LINK PLUMERIA is a big bucket of money for a diverse portfolio of Navy special access programs.

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Not a bad way to hide development programs.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Hey Zap! What generation would you categorize this under?


👽

USAF changed its mind and wants AETP prototypes for NGAD from both vendors:

breakingdefense.com...

a reply to: anzha
Starting to sound like the US Navy....