(clockwise from top left) F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and T-50 PAK FA.
Fifth generation fighters = sky warriors of the future, flying today!
Posted on 02/04/2010 8:05:39 PM PST by myknowledge
It has become common in the aviation community to classify fighter aircraft by "generations" for historical purposes. There are no official definitions of these generations; rather, they represent the notion that these are stages in the development of fighter design approaches, performance capabilities, and technological evolution.
Fifth Generation Fighters represent a quantum leap in air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities that provide an order of magnitude increase in operational effectiveness over legacy fighters. These fighters are characterised by being designed from the start to operate in a network-centric combat environment, and to feature extremely low, all-aspect, multi-spectral signatures employing advanced materials and shaping techniques.
The technologies that best epitomise fifth generation fighters are combined with high performance airframes, internally carried advanced air to air and air to ground weapons, all aspect stealth and Low Probability of Intercept Radar and networks for shared situation awareness.
(Excerpt) Read more at brahmand.com ...
(clockwise from top left) F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and T-50 PAK FA.
Fifth generation fighters = sky warriors of the future, flying today!
Do we come out on top?
“uses information to give pilots complete 360-degree situational awareness.”
What does this mean? Does it mean that pilots have holographic interface with the controls floating around their head I wonder?
F-35 does not have supercruise capability but F-22 does and T-50 was supposed to.
I don't really consider a F-35 as being a 5th generation fighter.
Advanced RWRs, radars and IRST nodules, maybe even smartskins.
“smartskins”
What doe smartskins do?
bookmark!
Smartskins are tiny passive sensors incorporated into the aircraft’s exterior skin and operates in sync with the avionics.
The Raptor and PAK FA are primarily stealth air superiority fighters, with long legs, therefore they have the supercruise capability, whereas the Lightning II is a fighter-bomber, with shorter legs.
Still on top, with 187 Raptors versus 3 PAK FA prototypes (2 flyable, 1 static testbed)
Good. Will the USA maintain air superiority for future wars? Thanks.
I wouldn't be surprised if the upgraded LO F-15 has a smaller RCS than that.
There may be a possibility that the USAF and USN would lose the next war, the F-22 Raptors being outnumbered by numerically superior Su-35 Flankers equipped with the latest AAMs and supersonic anti-ship missiles, disabling or sinking USN Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
Scary. Too many Colonels and General Officers are politicians rather than planners and warriors.
Thanks for all the good info and thanks for your service.
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