Boeing F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD)

EmoBirb said:
During the cold war surely. And while one may argue that there is currently the Second Cold War ongoing, I don't think that realization has reached the public consciousness just yet. Which is why in my eyes it will be difficult to justify such spending in an economically tumultuous period.

But I have no background in economics, so that's that.

On a different note, how does the projected NGAD cost stack up so far compared to ATF and JSF?
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Entitlements made up much less of the federal budget back then which allowed a greater amount of defense spending. Comparing debt servicing costs as a percentage of GDP between the 80s and now is around the same too. Barring reductions on entitlement spending or tax hikes, increasing defense spending is probably unsustainable.
 
Sevrent said:
Barring reductions on entitlement spending or tax hikes, increasing defense spending is probably unsustainable.
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Well if those completely unwarranted and undeserved tax-cuts the super-rich got were repealed followed by them being taxed appropriately (1980 tax-levels) the US would definitely have enough money.
 
NMaude said:
Well if those completely unwarranted and undeserved tax-cuts the super-rich got were repealed followed by them being taxed appropriately (1980 tax-levels) the US would definitely have enough money.
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Yeah this admin going around doing its best to kneecap the govt's revenue collection makes me doubt its commitments to defense spending
 
Prior to the election Kendall was hinting that he would be willing to stay on. We dodged a bullet with that one.
quellish said:
NGAD was always a next generation air dominance / superiority solution. To say that at some point it was not, then became one later, is incorrect.
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Never said it wasn't. NGAD could have been a much different air superiority platform. Based on his actions in office and the OP Ed, it sure appears that Kendall is distancing himself from the F-47. F-22 replacement like the F-22 was a replacement for the F-15 - big, two engine fighter, with a similar weapons load. When Kendall adds after years of development and analysis that NGAD should be about the cost of an F-35 or less that indicates that he either didn't agree with the requirements the AF came up with, got cold feet, or is trying to cover his butt.
 
B2Blain said:
Never said it wasn't. NGAD could have been a much different air superiority platform. Based on his actions in office and the OP Ed, it sure appears that Kendall is distancing himself from the F-47. F-22 replacement like the F-22 was a replacement for the F-15 - big, two engine fighter, with a similar weapons load. When Kendall adds after years of development and analysis that NGAD should be about the cost of an F-35 or less that indicates that he either didn't agree with the requirements the AF came up with, got cold feet, or is trying to cover his butt.
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To give the benefit of the doubt, I think he had hinted at plan B (in case more funding was not made available to do NGAD as designed in addition to other priorities) being to pivot to a more affordable combat aircraft solution that would allow 'other priorities' to be addressed because the AF could not do NGAD as currently envisioned while also funding those 'other priorities'. The 'F-35 ballpark' was just a reference to basically what the AF can afford a few squadrons a year (2-3) now. It is certianly possible that had he stuck around and no additional funding for the DAF been made available, he would have proposed a different course...but we can never be sure.
 
bring_it_on said:
To give the benefit of the doubt, I think he had hinted at plan B (in case more funding was not made available to do NGAD as designed in addition to other priorities) being to pivot to a more affordable combat aircraft solution that would allow 'other priorities' to be addressed because the AF could not do NGAD as currently envisioned while also funding those 'other priorities'. The 'F-35 ballpark' was just a reference to basically what the AF can afford a few squadrons a year (2-3) now. It is certianly possible that had he stuck around and no additional funding for the DAF been made available, he would have proposed a different course...but we can never be sure.
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It could have saved the Air Force money if they decided to roll with the B-21 as the "Penetrating Counter-Air" component of the NGAD and focused on making advanced CCA drones that can tag alongside the B-21. But perhaps some form of speed and maneuverability (Despite views that it may not be as maneuverable) was still a requirement, which clearly the B-21 could not deliver due to its subsonic speeds.

After all, one such idea by the CSBA for the NGAD based on its definition as a "Family of systems" was that the main unit or PCA would be a bomber-sized aircraft with several advanced BVR missiles such as the LREW, AIM-174 or AIM-160 missiles that would engage enemy fighters from very far away and destroy them without said fighters realizing that they were attacked until it's too late. The CCA drones would then finish the job with slightly shorter-ranged missiles if any stragglers still remained, and still remain undetected until then. That is assuming the enemy fighters are 5th Generation Stealth Fighters and both the PCA aircraft and CCA drones have the most advanced IR sensors and robust fusion datalinks in their systems, as well travelling at subsonic speeds.
 
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DWG said:
No different to building in Blocks or Tranches - which we've been doing since the mid/late '70s.
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You mean 1940s or maybe late 1930s.

USAAC was doing blocks on planes long before the 1970s.


EmoBirb said:
Something that isn't particularly clear to me though, is that with regular (presumably altered F135s) engines or adaptive cycle engines? I've heard conflicting statements about F/A-XX not including them and still going with them. If it's with ACE that would be a bit underwhelming, given the advertised improved efficiency and thus improved range.
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The Navy needs a plane sooner, the earliest Super Bugs are already in the Boneyard and the second tranche are close to end of life.

FFS the planes the Blue Angels are flying are 20 years old!



FighterJock said:
I wonder if the F/A-XX is going to have the same maximum take off weight and the same size as the A-5 Vigilante? The Vigilante was the heaviest carrier borne attack aircraft ever built, it will be something for the F/A-XX to equal it.
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I'm expecting up to 90klbs MTOW off the catapult. It may be in the 80k range.


Sundog said:
I'm thinking that may have changed for the new carriers due to the EM catapults and arresting gear?
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Not really. The new arresting gear is supposed to be able to catch lighter aircraft without damage, but as I understand things it's still limited to about 55,000lbs landing weight.

This suggests an FAXX empty weight of about 45,000lbs, so it can hold ~5000lbs of AAMs and ~5000lbs of fuel.
 

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