The Su-57 exchanges data with nearby aircraft and ground assets, and couples that data with existing intelligence to offer a streamlined understanding of the battle space. Doing so may require artificial intelligence. Russia and China have each emphasized this technology in the Felon and the Mighty Dragon, so the NGAD must access and interpret data from a broader range of sources. Alamy AvionicsĪmerica’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is often referred to by pilots as a “quarterback in the sky.” It’s a flying supercomputer designed to present vast amounts of data-friendly and enemy aircraft, ground assets, mission objectives, and more-in a single, simple user interface. Onboard electronics that can jam enemy radar and communications, similar to those employed by the EA-18G Growler, could further harden the NGAD for a fight behind enemy lines.Ĭhina’s first J-20s reached a top speed of Mach 2.55. Advanced heat distribution as energy is released from the aircraft, or a reduction in heat from the engines, could further lower the aircraft’s infrared signature. The NGAD will almost certainly leverage an advanced radar-reflecting design and a full-body coating of radar-absorbent materials. Pelosi, Ph.D., a professor of Information Technology at the University of Maryland, and Carlo Kopp, Ph.D., associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The J-20’s fourth-gen engines dump heat out the back of the aircraft, but a rectangular faceted nozzle design in those engines would be more effective at minimizing radar returns and reducing infrared detectability, according to a study from Michael J. J-20 Mighty DragonĮxperts can only speculate about the makeup and capability of the radar-absorbent materials coating China’s J-20, but a clear influence from stolen design schematics for America’s F-22 Raptor indicates stealth at least better than the Su-57’s.Ĭomputer modeling suggests the J-20’s front canards make it difficult to detect when approaching head-on, but the plane’s design has room for improvement. Yet Trimble concedes that the first-production Su-57s demonstrate an evident improvement in body-panel tolerance over the prototypes. “Russia considers stealth useful in aircraft design, but they show no interest in winning a stealth competition with the U.S.,” says Steve Trimble, defense editor for Aviation Week. This caliber platform would offer a reduced radar cross section compared to fourth-generation jets in operation today, and it isn’t comparable to America’s fifth-generation fighters. The Su-57’s stealth capabilities fall between the advanced fourth-generation International Roadmap Super Hornet and the fifth-generation J-20, and it’s “closer to the former than the latter,” says Tyler Rogoway, aviation analyst. The NGAD aircraft will thus have to lean into new technologies to make it harder to detect than any fighter before it. While some fourth-generation fighters leveraged topical treatments like radar-absorbent coating to delay detection, the Su-57 and J-20 were designed with stealth in mind from the ground up. Stealth’s series of overlapping technologies, production methods, and combat tactics is about surviving contested airspace, not becoming invisible. The Su-57 is the first Russian plane to use stealth technology. but they show no interest in winning a stealth competition with the U.S." The Air Force’s next jet can’t just compete with these fighters. Examining the NGAD’s competition provides clues as to what the new plane might bring to the table. Details are scarce regarding the sixth-generation NGAD fighter, but it will likely boast awe-inspiring capabilities that improve upon or offset the advancements of the previous generation, including the J-20 and Su-57. America’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter serves a primary ground-attack role, while the F-22 Raptor is considered an air superiority fighter. The J-20 and the Su-57 are stealth fighters designed for the contested airspace of a near-peer war. While maintenance records indicate that just 33 F-22s are flight-ready at any given time today, China’s fleet of Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragons is estimated to number around 50 aircraft, and Russia’s fleet of Sukhoi Su-57 Felons is growing, expected to reach 76 planes by 2028. Dubbed the Next-Generation Air Dominance program (NGAD), this effort is intended to replace America’s hobbled fleet of F-22 air superiority fighters. As China and Russia inch closer to rivaling America’s top fighters, the U.S.
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