Norboo
BANNED
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2011
- Messages
- 552
- Reaction score
- 0
Here are the Qualitative Requirements for a 6th generation fighter as enunciated:
To be far stealthier than the fifth generation aircraft.
It should be able to change its shape in flight, “morphing” to optimize for either speed or persistence.
Its engines would be retunable in-flight for efficient supersonic cruise or subsonic loitering. (Hypersonics—that is, the ability of an air vehicle to travel at five times the speed of sound, or faster—has routinely been suggested as an attribute of sixth generation fighters).
Armed with directed energy weapons—high-powered microwaves and lasers for defense against incoming missiles or as offensive weapons themselves. Munitions would likely be of the “dial an effect” type, able to cause anything from impairment to destruction of an air or ground target. These 'Speed of light' weapons, could negate the importance of the maneuverability we see in today’s fighters. There won’t be time to maneuver away from a directed energy attack. Because the DE beam shoots out at the speed of light or 186,000 miles per second!
Materials and microelectronics technologies would combine to make the aircraft a large integrated sensor, possibly eliminating the need for a nose radar as it is known today. It would be equipped for making cyber attacks as well as achieving kinetic effects, but would still have to be cost-effective to make, service, and modify.
Wide-ranging, intuitive views of “the extended world” around the aircraft. The aircraft will collect its own data and seamlessly fuse it with off-board sensors, including those on other aircraft. The difference from fifth generation will be the level of detail and certainty—the long-sought automatic target recognition.
Embedded sensors and microelectronics will also make possible sensor arrays in locations that previously weren’t available because of either heat or the curvature of the surface, providing more powerful and comprehensive views of the battlefield. Although the aircraft probably won’t be autonomous, it will be able to “learn” and advise the pilot as to what actions to take—specifically, whether a target should be incapacitated temporarily, damaged, or destroyed.
Traditional electronics will give way to photonics. There would have fewer wires, like on a multiplexed fiber-optic bus that connects all the systems, and because you can do things at different wavelengths of light, you can move lots of data around airplanes much faster, with much less weight in terms of 'wire bundles'. Fiber optics would also be resistant to jamming or spoofing of data and less prone to cyber attack.
Integrated Pulse Weapons that could fry an enemy aircraft’s electronic systems from miles away.
'Self healing' with the aid of nano-technology to automatically repair light damage to the airframe.
Now that's one hell of a weapons platform!
And some are already talking of 7th gen which would likely be reality by the end of this century. That would mean Cloaking Technology making the aircraft disappear completely from the visual as well as from the EM spectrum! Anti gravity technology allowing speeds in excess of Mach 50 which translates to wingless aircraft. VLR Laser weapons. Total situational awareness and maneuvering the aircraft with mind control sensors. The ability to fly at the very edge of space........
Star Trek anyone?
To be far stealthier than the fifth generation aircraft.
It should be able to change its shape in flight, “morphing” to optimize for either speed or persistence.
Its engines would be retunable in-flight for efficient supersonic cruise or subsonic loitering. (Hypersonics—that is, the ability of an air vehicle to travel at five times the speed of sound, or faster—has routinely been suggested as an attribute of sixth generation fighters).
Armed with directed energy weapons—high-powered microwaves and lasers for defense against incoming missiles or as offensive weapons themselves. Munitions would likely be of the “dial an effect” type, able to cause anything from impairment to destruction of an air or ground target. These 'Speed of light' weapons, could negate the importance of the maneuverability we see in today’s fighters. There won’t be time to maneuver away from a directed energy attack. Because the DE beam shoots out at the speed of light or 186,000 miles per second!
Materials and microelectronics technologies would combine to make the aircraft a large integrated sensor, possibly eliminating the need for a nose radar as it is known today. It would be equipped for making cyber attacks as well as achieving kinetic effects, but would still have to be cost-effective to make, service, and modify.
Wide-ranging, intuitive views of “the extended world” around the aircraft. The aircraft will collect its own data and seamlessly fuse it with off-board sensors, including those on other aircraft. The difference from fifth generation will be the level of detail and certainty—the long-sought automatic target recognition.
Embedded sensors and microelectronics will also make possible sensor arrays in locations that previously weren’t available because of either heat or the curvature of the surface, providing more powerful and comprehensive views of the battlefield. Although the aircraft probably won’t be autonomous, it will be able to “learn” and advise the pilot as to what actions to take—specifically, whether a target should be incapacitated temporarily, damaged, or destroyed.
Traditional electronics will give way to photonics. There would have fewer wires, like on a multiplexed fiber-optic bus that connects all the systems, and because you can do things at different wavelengths of light, you can move lots of data around airplanes much faster, with much less weight in terms of 'wire bundles'. Fiber optics would also be resistant to jamming or spoofing of data and less prone to cyber attack.
Integrated Pulse Weapons that could fry an enemy aircraft’s electronic systems from miles away.
'Self healing' with the aid of nano-technology to automatically repair light damage to the airframe.
Now that's one hell of a weapons platform!
And some are already talking of 7th gen which would likely be reality by the end of this century. That would mean Cloaking Technology making the aircraft disappear completely from the visual as well as from the EM spectrum! Anti gravity technology allowing speeds in excess of Mach 50 which translates to wingless aircraft. VLR Laser weapons. Total situational awareness and maneuvering the aircraft with mind control sensors. The ability to fly at the very edge of space........
Star Trek anyone?
