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Post by simnettpratt on May 27, 2020 21:43:41 GMT -5
Here are pics of some of the proposed designs for 6th Generation fighters, to replace planes like the F-22 Raptor. All look weird. Couple of submissions from Boeing (sounds like a part just fell off - boeing):   Lockheed Martin's design:   One from Germany:  A Swedish entry:  And a joint effort from SAAB and the USA, probably the least weird looking:  |
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Post by toshtego on May 27, 2020 22:11:13 GMT -5
I am no aeronautical expert but it seems to me:
No tail fin or rudder. Improved radar signature. Reduced drag, too. It gonna take a heap-o of computer power to make those things fly in a controlled way. I hope there is no big electromagnetic radiation emission which knocks out the computers. I could be wrong about all this.
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Post by Stearmandriver on May 27, 2020 22:27:52 GMT -5
I'm really surprised they're manned. I really thought this current generation of fighters (F-22 / F-35) would be the last hurrah of fighter pilots.
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bishop
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Post by bishop on May 27, 2020 22:44:45 GMT -5
They look stealthy.
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Post by simnettpratt on May 28, 2020 3:14:04 GMT -5
You'd better believe there's plenty of unmanned proposals too. I for one do not believe it will ever be a good idea to totally replace the man on the ground, er in the air. You're not removing the chance of error, only moving the errors to a man in a lab, a thousand miles away and ten years in the past. Same with cars that brake on their own and steer on their own. Again, not removing the chance of a mistake, only moving the chance of a mistake to a man that's not even there.
You can augment the man but not replace him.
Also see more EMP weapons in response to planes that need working chips to fly, and you don't want one solar flare destroying your entire Air Force.
The Navy's been blasting drones and boats with it's laser cannon prototype. One Navy girl said it's pretty cool how accurate they are, because you can easily fry a hostile boat's motor without touching the boat, and of course, the bullets fly at the speed of light. They need to add a cool pew sound though.
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Post by sperrytops on May 28, 2020 12:12:29 GMT -5
At the speeds and versatility of these new fighters, I don't see how a pilot can be anything but a hindrance. I guess they're there just to back up the computers, instead of the other way around.
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jay
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Post by jay on May 28, 2020 12:32:28 GMT -5
The overwhelming quantity of fighter pilot testosterone simply requires a person in the cockpit. Otherwise those folks end up in the infantry. LOL
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Post by Ronv69 on May 28, 2020 13:38:30 GMT -5
They can't even make the F35 work. They need to use proven technology.
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driftingfate
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Post by driftingfate on May 28, 2020 18:58:06 GMT -5
I'm really surprised they're manned. I really thought this current generation of fighters (F-22 / F-35) would be the last hurrah of fighter pilots. My thoughts exactly. Maybe the cockpit is to sell it to the current generals and it'll be ditched for production? |
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Post by Gandalf on May 28, 2020 19:50:19 GMT -5
I saw one proposal where a manned fighter would be accompanied by 2 or 3 "drones" which would attack the target AND protect the manned plane.
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Post by Stearmandriver on May 28, 2020 21:38:34 GMT -5
I'm really surprised they're manned. I really thought this current generation of fighters (F-22 / F-35) would be the last hurrah of fighter pilots. My thoughts exactly. Maybe the cockpit is to sell it to the current generals and it'll be ditched for production? Maybe, that is a thought. Maybe the marketing guys got a hold of it. It's not that I'm hoping they'll go unmanned, it just seems kind of inevitable. Our designs and technology have advanced to the point where the human is the weakest part of the system. Those aircraft are capable of harder maneuvers and more Gs than a person can withstand. Take the person out, and you'd have a weapons platform orders of magnitude more capable than anything else in the world. |
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Post by Legend Lover on May 29, 2020 1:13:34 GMT -5
From the forth picture down, it almost looks like they are solar-powered.
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Post by qmechanics on Jun 7, 2020 18:07:10 GMT -5
They can't even make the F35 work. They need to use proven technology. Going back for years a number of publicized, highly innovative and costly military programs have had their initial share of problems and doomsayers, to later improve with great success in military exercises and actual combat. The F35 being one of the most technological, challenging and expensive programs appears to be no exception. If one has been following the progress from the first trials until now, the F35 is vastly improved lately scoring 15:1 and 20:1 victories over other modern aircraft in combat training exercises like Redflag.(Actual Combat data is sttil a relatively untested area. For example , Israel appears to have used the F35 in combat in a limited role.). Though one could argue about the immense cost, need and capability issues (like the initial arguments concerning the F35 replacing the A10), those kill ratios are very impressive especially considering that other improvements are still in the works. |
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Post by Ronv69 on Jun 7, 2020 20:54:26 GMT -5
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Post by qmechanics on Jun 8, 2020 1:14:31 GMT -5
My reason for mentioning the A10 was to give a bit of substance to my comment. One of the ideas behind the development of the F35 was to replace the A10. I know the general capabilities of both aircraft and believe that the A10 mission cannot be adequately covered by the F35. I am quite happy when Congress and other opposition altered that particular plan. My comments about the F35 problems and progress goes back to reading articles,papers etc. through the years following the progress from the competition to determine who will design and build the aircraft until now. When the aircraft was revealed for trials and further development, the reviews were already critical as the cost had reached enormous proportions contrary to one of the programs objectives. When the somewhat public testings began the alarm amd outcry went to deafening levels. I have seen a number of harsh criticisms, problems cited and addressed with some remarkable improvements in performance. Has the F35 met all of its requirements? Not quite but the narrative of the past does not quite apply either; the aircraft has improved quite a bit (Part of development). So one can have the f35 debate on many ideas including need, cost,other options,future contingencies/ capabilities etc. Still one thing I clearly see is the F35 performance is flying out of the darkness and finding light.... PS Boondoggles are the militaries number two mission.From the Bradley to the Osprey, name your system, much of the same general complaints were made. Yet each of these and other systems not mentioned became very effective fighting tools. I can see how new systems in this day and age often demand new or improved technologies. However I would agree better oversight, more practical considerations better/correct budget controls etc. are desperately needed. |
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