US 6th Gen fighter NGAD to have a radar cross section of a BB pellet

[Thomas]

Industry sources say NGAD will be “orders of magnitiude” harder to detect than even the fifth-generation fighters of today, with the same radar cross section as a BB shot. It will also be stealthier in many different bandwidths, rather than optimized against a few key bands of search-and-track radars.

In recent months, F-22s, F-35s, and even older F-117s have been spotted and photographed wearing unusual shiny metallic panels; in some case, over the entire aircraft. The Air Force will not disclose the purpose, but it is likely they are testing potential upgrades for fifth-generation fighters or perhaps a new kind of stealth treatment for NGAD.

Piecing Together the NGAD Puzzle | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The Next-Generation Air Dominance family of systems remains highly classified. But some details are beginning to emerge.

www.airforcemag.com

Great article, I can't wait for the eventual public debut of NGAD

 

[LeGenD]

Russia and china will come up with new radar technologies to detect it.
Nothing to fear.

Anything can be "claimed." Some countries have arms to sell and hype is build to justify sales.

Fact of the matter is that Americans know what they are doing.

Historically, only Yugoslavia managed to shoot down one F-117A Nighthawk in war but the overarching intercept rate was negligible. F-117A logged over 700 sorties in Yugoslavia and B-2A logged around 50. Now bear in mind that Yugoslavia had taken notes from the Persian Gulf War (1991) and created IMAD defensive arrangements with radar systems that could detect stealthy aircraft in theory.

Syria have sourced A2/AD components from both Russia and China including an S-300 class battery from Russia and YJ-27 class radar system(s) from China, but they have no counter to Israeli F-35i. Refer to this incident. Israeli aviation experience is considerable, and they have used even F-16 variants to penetrate Syrian A2/AD arrangements in daring raids.

Interestingly - Syrians acknowledged that Chinese radar systems are much better than Russian in their arsenal. Good marketing for Chinese equipment in this case.

Chinese have developed more advanced radar systems by now that are optimized to detect stealthy aircraft in theory but nothing is proven in operational terms. There is utter lack of operational data to inform development of robust counter-stealth capability. There are a lot of variables to account for in this game. There is the whole Electronic Warfare (EW) spectrum to this game.

NGAD development is informed by decades-worth of data and research and with "emerging threats" in kind. This will be a repeat of F-22A Raptor saga - a jet fighter which is feared to this day.

 

[CSAW]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s secretive NGAD Next Gen Air Dominance Future fighter program could be the most expensive aircraft program in history, with each piloted, sixth-generation aircraft expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

When asked about the price tag for NGAD during a Wednesday appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall did not specify exactly how much an individual aircraft could cost, but said the service was talking about “multiple” hundreds of millions.

“This is a number that’s going to get your attention,” Kendall said. “It’s going to be an expensive airplane.”

That would be more than twice the F-35′s price tag of at least $80 million apiece.

Kendall said NGAD will be “incredibly effective,” but that it will have to be accompanied by less expensive platforms to extend its reach in combat, which he envisions as teams of Autonomous Wingman Drone.

The Air Force doesn’t have an estimate on how much the NGAD’s autonomous wingmen could cost. But in his keynote speech to the Air Force Association’s March conference in Orlando, Florida, Kendall said the service wants those combat drones to cost no more than half as much as their manned counterparts.

But if NGAD’s manned component will cost several hundred million dollars apiece, that suggests the wingmen may cost as much or more than an F-35.

The NGAD program is so far taking the proper steps in its development phase to hold sustainment costs down in the long term, Kendall said. This is being done by using modular designs and interfaces the government controls to ensure aircraft can easily receive upgrades and maintenance.

Kendall said this strategy will also lead to competition, which will further drive down costs.

==============================

Future NGAD fighter jets could cost ‘hundreds of millions’ apiece

This would be more than twice the F-35′s price tag of at least $80 million apiece.

www.defensenews.com

NGAD Price Per Tail Will More Than Double That of F-35 - Air Force Magazine

The Next-Generation Air Dominance manned platform, or NGAD, will be the most expensive fighter ever, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[gambit]

Impressive if true

It is not true. The NGAD fighter will have an RCS of a truck. That is what my sources in Area 51 said.

 

[Qmjd]

Yes we all know the supremacy of USA but these equipment never used against worthy opponents.
All wars are fought against with defenceless countries.
USA has the ability to smack china but it won't be as easy as Iraq or Syria.
USA would lost any will for next war.
USA the idiot of the worlds is planning for 3rd world war and there is nothing left to talk or brag about after this war.
Only human corpses which Will be rotten in day light and feast for the jungle animals.
Fear this not USA toys.
May human eat humans if no food found to be eaten.
Zombie humans have the bright future.

Anything can be "claimed." Some countries have arms to sell and hype is build to justify sales.

Fact of the matter is that Americans know what they are doing.

Historically, only Yugoslavia managed to shoot down one F-117A Nighthawk in war but the overarching intercept rate was negligible. F-117A logged over 700 sorties in Yugoslavia and B-2A logged around 50. Now bear in mind that Yugoslavia had taken notes from the Persian Gulf War (1991) and created IMAD defensive arrangements with radar systems that could detect stealthy aircraft in theory.

Syria have sourced A2/AD components from both Russia and China including an S-300 class battery from Russia and YJ-27 class radar system(s) from China, but they have no counter to Israeli F-35i. Refer to this incident. Israeli aviation experience is considerable, and they have used even F-16 variants to penetrate Syrian A2/AD arrangements in daring raids.

Interestingly - Syrians acknowledged that Chinese radar systems are much better than Russian in their arsenal. Good marketing for Chinese equipment in this case.

Chinese have developed more advanced radar systems by now that are optimized to detect stealthy aircraft in theory but nothing is proven in operational terms. There is utter lack of operational data to inform development of robust counter-stealth capability. There are a lot of variables to account for in this game. There is the whole Electronic Warfare (EW) spectrum to this game.

NGAD development is informed by decades-worth of data and research and with "emerging threats" in kind. This will be a repeat of F-22A Raptor saga - a jet fighter which is feared to this day.

 

[S10]

It is not true. The NGAD fighter will have an RCS of a truck. That is what my sources in Area 51 said.

So salty, did the damn kids ruin your old man lawn again?

 

[LeGenD]

Yes we all know the supremacy of USA but these equipment never used against worthy opponents.
All wars are fought against with defenceless countries.
USA has the ability to smack china but it won't be as easy as Iraq or Syria.
USA would lost any will for next war.
USA the idiot of the worlds is planning for 3rd world war and there is nothing left to talk or brag about after this war.
Only human corpses which Will be rotten in day light and feast for the jungle animals.
Fear this not USA toys.
May human eat humans if no food found to be eaten.
Zombie humans have the bright future.

I see your point but I have reservations about "defenseless countries" part.

Afghanistan was not equipped to fight a conventional war (granted) but others such as Iraq and Yugoslavia were very capable sides in 1991 and 1999 respectively. American war-machine (technology/training/experience) made both adversaries look virtually defenseless in comparison in war on the other hand.

US also demonstrated the capability to occupy and transform Iraq in the (2003 - 2011) period in spite of considerable insurgency on the ground. It is not easy to pull this off in a fairly large country in modern times due to need of heavy armor and costs involved.

If WE go back further in time then WE notice that both North Korea and North Vietnam were regional heavyweights. US-led forces liberated South Korea from North Korea in the early 1950s (success story). US also preserved South Vietnam for some years but lost interest in 1973. War in Vietnam was very instructive however - US had ample data and experience to revisit and revamp its war-machine.

If WE go back further in time then WE notice that US had impressive showings in times of World War 1 and World War 2 against well-equipped adversaries yet again.

If WE consider entire American history then WE notice that these people stood up to the likes of the British Empire and Spanish Empire and achieved desired outcomes. They also defeated neighboring Mexican Empire in a war.

World War 3 - I do not know. Nuclear weapons are in the picture and it depends upon when and how it is fought. Zombie humans...

 

[gambit]

So salty, did the damn kids ruin your old man lawn again?

After NGAD will be the Extreme Generation Air Dominance (EGAD) fighter. We are already working on the EGAD. Critical to the EGAD platform is the Gamma-ray Optical Neural Assist Detect/Destruct System (GONADDS) which uses gamma spectroscopy to detect and gamma ray laser (graser) to destroy ground and airborne targets. The system will link with the pilot via an embedded neurological access point on his/her body for near instantaneous information and graser response.

J-20 pilot: "EGAD...!!! He got GONADDS...!!!"

 

[PakFactor]

I'm looking forward to see NGAD being unveiled.
I'm also curious would it be on the lines of F-117 (fighter-bomber) type?

 

[TheSolution]

After NGAD will be the Extreme Generation Air Dominance (EGAD) fighter. We are already working on the EGAD. Critical to the EGAD platform is the Gamma-ray Optical Neural Assist Detect/Destruct System (GONADDS) which uses gamma spectroscopy to detect and gamma ray laser (graser) to destroy ground and airborne targets. The system will link with the pilot via an embedded neurological access point on his/her body for near instantaneous information and graser response.

J-20 pilot: "EGAD...!!! He got GONADDS...!!!"

Pass me some of that good stuff too

 

[S10]

After NGAD will be the Extreme Generation Air Dominance (EGAD) fighter. We are already working on the EGAD. Critical to the EGAD platform is the Gamma-ray Optical Neural Assist Detect/Destruct System (GONADDS) which uses gamma spectroscopy to detect and gamma ray laser (graser) to destroy ground and airborne targets. The system will link with the pilot via an embedded neurological access point on his/her body for near instantaneous information and graser response.

J-20 pilot: "EGAD...!!! He got GONADDS...!!!"

Next you're gonna tell me about Super Duper Triple Next Generation Air Dominance fighter that can do Warp 9 and comes with self warming toilet seat?

 

[UKBengali]

Does Russia also have 6th generation program? Usually, they are only a step behind the US.

The only two other true 6th generation fighter programmes are the UK-led Tempest and the Chinese one.

Franco-German programme will be more like 5.5-gen.

 

[Wood]

The only two other true 5th generation fighter programmes are the UK-led Tempest and the Chinese one.

Franco-German programme will be more like 5.5-gen.

Tempest is 6 the generation. Have Chinese announced a program for this yet?

 

[UKBengali]

Tempest is 6 the generation. Have Chinese announced a program for this yet?

Just corrected my post.

Meant that they(UK and China) are 6th generation.

China has already announced it's 6th generation programme due for service in the 2030s.

 

[White and Green with M/S]

The only two other true 6th generation fighter programmes are the UK-led Tempest and the Chinese one.

Franco-German programme will be more like 5.5-gen.

The only two other true 6th generation fighter programmes are the UK-led Tempest and the Chinese one.

Franco-German programme will be more like 5.5-gen.

And US 6th gen jet??? and i should say tempest will be 5.5 gen and Franco- German program will be 6th gen, in my opinion