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Sixth Generation Fighter Plane-Air Superiority Weapon
March 2, 2015
A sixth generation fighter is a conceptualized class of fighter aircraft more advanced than the fifth-generation jet fighters. Each generation of fighters is grouped by a series of improvements that make the successor distinct from the predecessor. Sixth Generation Fighter planes will be superior in terms of speed, range, stealth, weapon systems, avionics and self-healing structures from their predecessors.
Conceptual Sixth Generation fighter
Why Sixth Generation fighter
United States of America tries to maintain its technological superiority over its rival when it comes to development of the futuristic weapon systems. As Russia and China have already developed Fifth Generation Fighters and India and few other countries are also working on it. These countries will compete with the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II for airspace superiority.
Many countries are working on passive sensors who can detect even a very small radar cross section. At the same time in next few years many countries will develop laser based weapon system who could destroy any targets within seconds. So fifth generation fighters are no more invincible.
Taking into account the future need of US Air force and Navy, DARPA is searching for technologies for an aircraft with enhanced capabilities in areas such as reach, persistence, survivability, net-centricity, situational awareness, human-system integration and weapons systems.
Sixth Generation Features
As the development of newer detection systems and more advanced radars have made it possible to detect 5th generation fighters with stealth though they have very fine radar cross section. So the new generation fighters will have much smaller Radar cross section than on current stealth aircraft like the F-22 Raptor, F-35.
To further reduce the radar cross section the design of the fighters will be tailless and specially designed materials will be use for the body which will completely absorb the incoming radar waves. Body will be made of a highly durable and lightweight composite material. The material of body must be capable of withstanding the heating of the fuselage at supersonic speeds.
Sixth generation fighters will incorporate new generation of engines allowing ultra high altitude flight and supercruise speed, a lot faster than on current fighters. New generation engines will have capacity to work in airless space as it will have space mission capabilities. That would give an aircraft a much greater range, faster acceleration, and greater subsonic cruise efficiency.
New generation of armaments like laser based directed energy weapons to attack enemies and counter incoming weapons, with the speed of light, are planned to be included in 6th generation fighters.
Their avionics are supposed to feature next generation electronic attack, passive detection and integrated self-protection and cyber-attack capabilities. Sixth generation fighters are to feature artificial intelligence as a decision aid to the pilots. It must be able to operate in the anti-access environment that will exist in the 2030–50 time frame.
So the sixth generation fighters are expected to outperform current 5th Gen fighters in terms of speed, range, stealth, self-healing structures. It will be a technological jump against modern 5th Gen fighters such as employed by the F-22 & PAK FA.
Countries working on it
Currently Boeing is working on Next Generation Air Dominance which will be inducted in US air force and navy by 2025–30 time frame.
Other than USA Countries such as Japan, Russia, China and France has started working on 6th generation fighters. Most likely the Russian sixth generation fighter will be pilotless and its body will be made from composites to keep its weight low.
All these countries are on the conceptual stage of development and none of them are expected to induct sixth generation fighter before 2030.
Source.
March 2, 2015
A sixth generation fighter is a conceptualized class of fighter aircraft more advanced than the fifth-generation jet fighters. Each generation of fighters is grouped by a series of improvements that make the successor distinct from the predecessor. Sixth Generation Fighter planes will be superior in terms of speed, range, stealth, weapon systems, avionics and self-healing structures from their predecessors.
Conceptual Sixth Generation fighter
Why Sixth Generation fighter
United States of America tries to maintain its technological superiority over its rival when it comes to development of the futuristic weapon systems. As Russia and China have already developed Fifth Generation Fighters and India and few other countries are also working on it. These countries will compete with the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II for airspace superiority.
Many countries are working on passive sensors who can detect even a very small radar cross section. At the same time in next few years many countries will develop laser based weapon system who could destroy any targets within seconds. So fifth generation fighters are no more invincible.
Taking into account the future need of US Air force and Navy, DARPA is searching for technologies for an aircraft with enhanced capabilities in areas such as reach, persistence, survivability, net-centricity, situational awareness, human-system integration and weapons systems.
Sixth Generation Features
As the development of newer detection systems and more advanced radars have made it possible to detect 5th generation fighters with stealth though they have very fine radar cross section. So the new generation fighters will have much smaller Radar cross section than on current stealth aircraft like the F-22 Raptor, F-35.
To further reduce the radar cross section the design of the fighters will be tailless and specially designed materials will be use for the body which will completely absorb the incoming radar waves. Body will be made of a highly durable and lightweight composite material. The material of body must be capable of withstanding the heating of the fuselage at supersonic speeds.
Sixth generation fighters will incorporate new generation of engines allowing ultra high altitude flight and supercruise speed, a lot faster than on current fighters. New generation engines will have capacity to work in airless space as it will have space mission capabilities. That would give an aircraft a much greater range, faster acceleration, and greater subsonic cruise efficiency.
New generation of armaments like laser based directed energy weapons to attack enemies and counter incoming weapons, with the speed of light, are planned to be included in 6th generation fighters.
Their avionics are supposed to feature next generation electronic attack, passive detection and integrated self-protection and cyber-attack capabilities. Sixth generation fighters are to feature artificial intelligence as a decision aid to the pilots. It must be able to operate in the anti-access environment that will exist in the 2030–50 time frame.
So the sixth generation fighters are expected to outperform current 5th Gen fighters in terms of speed, range, stealth, self-healing structures. It will be a technological jump against modern 5th Gen fighters such as employed by the F-22 & PAK FA.
Countries working on it
Currently Boeing is working on Next Generation Air Dominance which will be inducted in US air force and navy by 2025–30 time frame.
Other than USA Countries such as Japan, Russia, China and France has started working on 6th generation fighters. Most likely the Russian sixth generation fighter will be pilotless and its body will be made from composites to keep its weight low.
All these countries are on the conceptual stage of development and none of them are expected to induct sixth generation fighter before 2030.
Source.
