USAF/US NAVY 6G Fighter Programs - F/A-XX, F-X, NGAD, PCA, ASFS news

[paralay]

The size of the air intakes is noteworthy

 

[fightingirish]

Keynote with General David W. Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, at GASCC 2024, filmed on 17 July 2024 at the IET, London:

View: https://youtu.be/U_yCqwwbmPY?si=y6mBB9L5m2Nrf9m8

Source:

Air Force Floats Light Stealth Fighter Concept As Its Heavy Fighter Program May Be In Jeopardy

The Air Force’s top officer touted the concept as a path to develop a less expensive and more flexible fighter design, which is odd considering a top priority was the service’s NGAD heavy fighter. The Air Force’s top officer touted the concept as a path to develop a less expensive and more...

www.twz.com

 

[Ozair]

The size of the air intakes is noteworthy

Isn't that an AI generated image that has no design reality to what is being suggested...?

 

[Scott Kenny]

The size of the air intakes is noteworthy

Yeah, those are much smaller than the F-35 intakes, which would suggest a step down in mass flow. What's the mass flow for an F135 versus an F119?

Assuming that's not just some AI bullshit.

Keynote with General David W. Allvin, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, at GASCC 2024, filmed on 17 July 2024 at the IET, London:

View: https://youtu.be/U_yCqwwbmPY?si=y6mBB9L5m2Nrf9m8

Source:

Air Force Floats Light Stealth Fighter Concept As Its Heavy Fighter Program May Be In Jeopardy

The Air Force’s top officer touted the concept as a path to develop a less expensive and more flexible fighter design, which is odd considering a top priority was the service’s NGAD heavy fighter. The Air Force’s top officer touted the concept as a path to develop a less expensive and more...

www.twz.com

I just cannot buy that. You're not flying a "light fighter" 3,000+nmi without air refueling.

The Pacific Ocean hasn't changed size magically. USAF needs to start prepping Congress for why the long range is needed.

"Senators, here is a graphic showing all the islands with 9000ft runways. The next image adds any 6000ft runways left over from WW2 that might be usable with some work. Next is a series of range bubbles, based on major Chinese military bases that we'd have to reach in a fight with China. As you can clearly see, there are (number) of bases within each range circle. The Pacific is the largest ocean on Earth, the range is not really an option we can do without."
"Shorter range means we need to buy a lot more tankers, which are just as expensive as the fighters."

 

[timmymagic]

Unless the DOD is so fed up with LMs walled garden they want to basically recreate a better F-35 with a software centric design???

Or keep another prime in the game like Boeing...

 

[flateric]

Assuming that's not just some AI bullshit.

This is exactly some AI bullshit. Like this one from the next slides.

 

[Ozair]

Or keep another prime in the game like Boeing...

I think you can see via the CCA contract award that the DoD is happy to branch out. With GA, Andruil and Kratos all rising and 5th and likely even more so 6th gen being software dominant it is clearly time to move away from the historical primes.

 

[4decaa]

This is exactly some AI bullshit. Like this one from the next slides.

you mean the USAF isn't thinking about fielding a massive airborne laser again?

 

[Forest Green]

Already got a light stealth fighter, why build another? If they're not going to build NGAD proper, they may as well work on improving the F-35 and building more. Heck, rebuild the F-22 to F-35 avionics standards with increased fuel capacity if you aren't making the proper NGAD, it's got to be cheaper than designing a completely new under-ranged POS. In fact, going to get flamed for saying this, but if you aren't building NGAD proper or doing any of the aforementioned, put the money into GCAP. Yes well, stupid outcomes deserve stupid suggestions.

 

[litzj]

recent US organization seems to just enjoy numerous debates without doing actions

 

[FighterJock]

A US GCAP/Tempest while I like that idea Forest Green it will never happen, there is too much at stake for the US aircraft companies.

 

[Dreamfighter]

If they're not going to build NGAD proper

I´m pretty sure they will (with some delay).

 

[Desertfox]

A US GCAP/Tempest while I like that idea Forest Green it will never happen, there is too much at stake for the US aircraft companies.

Just get one Boeing to build the US version.

I could see the single-engine light fighter working provided it 1) has longer range than the F-35, 2) Can operate from small airfields, 3) Is cheap. Kind of like a STOL F-16XL. Basically flood the area with a cheap air-superiority fighter.

 

[indicisivedivide]

On the topic of automation.
Radiation shielding for leading edge gpu.
https://www.space.com/ai-nvidia-gpu-spacex-launch-transporter-11
This should help in using latest hardware in fighters.
Nvidia Orin was released in 2022. Future nodes are rumoured to be built with some radiation shielding because of electron transport and some issues as transistors shrink. Also easier to implement new functions on such powerful hardware. No need to bang the head with 28nm cpu.

 

[Forest Green]

On the topic of automation.
Radiation shielding for leading edge gpu.
https://www.space.com/ai-nvidia-gpu-spacex-launch-transporter-11
This should help in using latest hardware in fighters.
Nvidia Orin was released in 2022. Future nodes are rumoured to be built with some radiation shielding because of electron transport and some issues as transistors shrink. Also easier to implement new functions on such powerful hardware. No need to bang the head with 28nm cpu.

Big news for NVidia too, since it's potentially a new market.

 

[Forest Green]

A US GCAP/Tempest while I like that idea Forest Green it will never happen, there is too much at stake for the US aircraft companies.

Oh I know, but it beats the idea of this light fighter, which is basically just a copy and pasted F-35 re-badged as an NGAD.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Why is everyone freaking out? It literally has built to adapt written on it, so I assume it will improve as time goes on.

 

[bobbymike]

Isn’t there a pilot retention issue and general shortage? Who’s going to fly these, I’m assuming hundreds maybe thousands, of light fighters in addition to what we have in terms of other aircraft?

Another dumb dead end idea IMHO. Just build the darn NGAD.

 

[indicisivedivide]

Isn’t there a pilot retention issue and general shortage? Who’s going to fly these I’m assuming hundreds of light fighters? Another dumb dead end idea IMHO. Just build the darn NGAD.

That's why I posted the article about GPUs. They can theoretically allow autonomous tech beyond anyone's wildest dreams. It should solve pilot retention problem and leave a ton of space on the jet. Full cost analysis which includes increased cost of research but should allow lower operation costs will need a full study. But I am confident that total autonomy is possible.

 

[FighterJock]

If they are worried about pilot retention issues and shortage then why not build a fully unmanned twin engined NGAD just like the designs that LM released? It would not be that expensive to do would it?

 

[dark sidius]

Generals don't know what they wants , one time a F-22 successor, one time F-35 , after they are in love of the F-15 after they are in love with CCA , and now they are in love with a light fighter unable to fight the great distance of the Pacific. And what new in inventory since 10 years ? nothing . It change every two years, there was the century series of M Ropper who was a good idea too so why don't continue that strategy ?

 

[La-Fuente Technologies]

Generals don't know what they wants , one time a F-22 successor, one time F-35 , after they are in love of the F-15 after they are in love with CCA , and now they are in love with a light fighter unable to fight the great distance of the Pacific. And what new in inventory since 10 years ? nothing . It change every two years, there was the century series of M Ropper who was a good idea too so why don't continue that strategy ?

Well, this is what happens when many different groups or parties of military leaders have varying and contradicting ideas on what they think is best for the Military as a whole. Military politics and the like.

 

[FighterJock]

This makes me mad when politics gets involved in the military.