Posted on 09/17/2020 12:32:54 PM PDT by Mariner
Not in this case.
A year from concept to flying prototype for a modern fighter...is a game changer.
So true.
It looks like a triangle had offspring with a B-2. No VS.
Shocking for anything government.
That said, in that time frame, we can assume a number of things.
The Avionics is from X
The airframe is from Y
The anti-radar surface is from Z
The engines are from P
Etc. It's probably a Franken plane. It may be something great, but to have that kind of accelerated development means that much of what is is made of comes from something else that is already available.
It is designated the FA-3-101. Just between us, don’t tell anyone....
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/fulton-airphibian-fa-3-101/nasm_A19600127000
I wonder if it can be flown from a console in Virginia? Is the pilot is optional?
The ultimate vaporware.
I would think the air frame is a new design.
All the rest likely the product of previous development.
That said, my understanding is that all systems besides the air frame are modular and can be swapped for more modern, feature-rich versions.
Common engines, hydraulics and electrical bus are DESIRABLE features.
“means”
May mean.
“The ultimate vaporware. “
Except it is flying.
Star wars..
Go ahead China, keep spending money...
Back in the 80's it was the Wall Street Journal that detected the production of the F-117 without ever seeing the craft.
They looked at the quarterly reports and determined that type of cash-flow could only be the result of an aircraft production line.
That’s The NAVY’s version, silly....................
So, it’s not a tictac?;-)
...aaaand to the Navy, it kinda looks like a tictac.
https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2020/09/15/the-us-air-force-has-built-and-flown-a-mysterious-full-scale-prototype-of-its-future-fighter-jet/
AND JUST WHO WAS PRESIDENT, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF ALL THE ARMED FORCES, AS THIS PLANE WAS DEVELOPED, BUILT AND FLOWN?...................................
Well, this is wonderful news. I didn’t’ thing we would ever see something like this again. It should put the all perfumed princes responsible for acquiring new hardware to shame!
So, who built it and where?
And what firm will produce it for the USAF?
My guess... just as Trump is accelerating development of a vaccine, he is also allowing the military to experiment and develop weapons of the future based on their needs.
The big question is what is the cost per plane? I suppose producing a prototype within a year will certainly keep development costs down and thus lower the per plane costs.
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