USAF admits to flying prototype

Lorddrakul

The US Air Force has confirmed that it has built and flown an entirely new fighter aircraft.



A concept art image from 2018 has been broadly used to illustrate this story, but nothing is known of the prototype's configuration.

No details have emerged of what the specs were, or who built it, but the resultant craft “broken records,” it said.

Reporting from various outlets has highlighted that up to $6 billion could have been spent on this black project, after careful examination of budget information available over the last five years.

There are even some hints that the US Navy could already be well embarked on a similar project.

Ultimate stealth?

Larbre34

Big deal, it could be a 10 foot long proof of concept.

Meanwhile the Russians are putting their money into hypersonic cruise missiles and nuclear powered ballistic missiles that can loiter for months or years. That said, they could just end up blowing themselves up, but whatever happens another money pit F-22 or F-35 type project for a manned fighter is likely not the game for 2040 and beyond.

Gatling

This got mentioned before when a general gave an interview about they couldn't have built engines and fuselage if I remember correctly without advanced new engineering processes and everyone believed he was talking about the SR72 son of blackbird ,
While we seen the publicity around the f22 Vs f23 and f35 programs but the f177 and B2 were done in pretty much total secrecy .
It's possible they already have another advanced aircraft flying regularly

Lorddrakul

I would imagine advances in computer modelling in particular have meant that prototypes can be built far closer to eventual flying designs than ever before.

This might be part of why such an accelerated programme could be carried out.

But the question remains, what kind of an aircraft is it. It has long been said that there is a gap between the F-22 and the F-35 for something a bit more conventional, cheap to operate and that provides about 80% of the performance envelope of the 22.

Computer processing power has increased manifold since the flight systems of the 35 were developed. I'm sure there would be benefits for any new generation aircraft.

I doubt it would be either super stealth or hypersonic, but it could be hyper-networked for a more integrated battle space capability.

banie01

A better overview of the story is available here.
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/

This seems to be part of the USAF new "digital century" effort at following the original century series lead in fighter development.
The aim is to ensure rapid deployment and integration of new technology.
Eliminate the long lead times and 15year + fighter development that has become common.
And replace that with a whole new research, development and deployment system based firmly on technological best practice.

The airframe flown is according to the article I linked is a full scale airframe, and seems to be a new benchmark for USAF development at least.

Gatling

Currently doing the rounds a tweet from Air Force Materiel Command wishing a happy birthday featuring a unique delta wing aircraft , could be nothing but doesn't look like any of the supposed designs renderings of future aircraft as in a strong delta wing Vs a loosely based delta wing



https://mobile.twitter.com/HQ_AFMC/status/1306916125297516544/photo/1