What is the best Facts, Theory and Ideas that create a fighter?

Originally posted by Harlequin
i would actually like to see a move away from RDAR and a move to LiDAR to be honest - far more capable and opens up a whole new theory to warfare (cloaked aircraft anyone

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Its an interesting point Harlequin but what is the time line on something like that? Say we do want to move this discussion into the next fighter. I would bet my money on a unmanned aircraft. The F-22 maybe the last of its breed as sad as is it is to say that. The romance of airwarfare would be lost a bit for myself but I'd come to accept it I guess though a computers brain in my openion is nothing compared to the human mind behind it. Lasers, LiDAR active camoflauge. They are all possible but I'm also interested in the current and the past and seeing how these aircraft have approached these key principles.

Originally posted by Canada_EH
Is it fair to assume Westpoint that since this capablity is being built into the F-35 that the F-22 will recive this in a block upgrade in the near future?

According to my sources all of the new emerging technologies that I mentioned are under consideration and a decision will be made next year. They might even end up integrating and installing several new means of communication into the F-22A, giving pilots different options depending on what is best of the situation. I'm not sure when the Block 40 Raptors leave the assembly line but by next year the F-22 fleet should get upgrades to it's communications (data link) suite. And of course as more technology matures and become available that too can be programmed into the Raptor.