Intro
The fifth generation of jet fighter aircraft roared onto the scene and into the skies in the early 2000s, employing some of the deadliest weapons and technology in the world.
Many of them have stealth capabilities and advanced avionics.
So join me for today’s video.
We’re going to take a look at 15 of the Next Generation military aircraft.
Mitsubishi FX
Number 15, Mitsubishi Fx.
The first killer Next Generation military aircraft in our list has yet to Grace the skies with its secretive presence, but the ongoing project known as the Mitsubishi Fx is gearing up to be the latest and greatest Next Generation stealth fighter prototype is set to make its debut in 2024, with a first flight test in 2028.
As long as everything goes according to plan, then mass production can begin as early as 2031..
It may take a long time from now, but it’ll be worth the wait, seeing as how the Japanese manufacturer is always providing the country with cutting-edge Technologies.
Since it’s a stealth fighter, it’s gonna have to first minimize this radar cross section.
So the Fx design features electromagnetic carbon-based wave absorbers in its Serpentine air ducts and in the engines to reduce radar reflection, and so far the stealth tests have come back pretty successful, reducing radar reflection already by half.
Efx is also made up of small pieces of metal and dielectric materials that, when applied, add wave reflection technology on board and its plasma stealth antennas gonna deflect radio waves too.
BAE Systems Tempest
All in all, the Mitsubishi Fx is going to keep things pretty quiet in the sky, which is an impressive feat, considering it’s already been nicknamed Godzilla , number 14 Bae Systems Tempest.
When a big group of people all sit down and put their heads together, sometimes they can come up with something really special, and such is the case with the Euro Fighter typhoon.
As the name May imply, the Euro Fighter typhoon was a joint effort between the Uk, Germany, Italy and Spain, and although some Aviation enthusiasts are a bit split over this fighter, it’s probably one of the best in the world today.
Say what you will about this typhoon, but there’s no denying that it’s incredibly capable multi-role fighter.
It’s incredibly fast and agile, making it a pretty tough opponent at a dogfight.
The typhoon first entered service in 2003 and didn’t see combat until 2007 with the Uk, but it’s expected to remain in active service well into the 2030s.
By that time, something bigger and badder will have come around as part of the next generation of Fighters known as The Tempest.
A little bonus feature with this fighter is some of the enhanced avionics.
The Uk isn’t known for its beautiful weather, so you need a fighter that can handle those foggy and often rainy conditions, which is why the Euro Fighter typhoon uses both inertial navigation systems and instrument Landing systems to help take off, fly and land in bad weather.
Sukhoi Su35
Number 13: Sukhoi su-35, also known as the flanker E. the Sukhoi su-35 is a single-seat, twin-engine super maneuverable aircraft designed by the Sukhoi designs Bureau.
The type was originally developed by the Soviet Union from the su-27 and was known as the su-27m. it
Incorporated canards and a multi-function radar, giving it multi-role capabilities.
The first prototype meant its maiden voyage in June of 1988, so it’s an oldie but certainly a goodie, and it’s on this list for good reason.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Sukhoi redesignated it as the su-35 to attract export orders.
14 aircraft were produced and used for tests and demonstrations.
One example had thrust vectoring engines and was in turn redesignated.
The su-37, a sole Su-35ub two-seat trainer, was also built in the late 1990s that resembled the Su-30mk family.
In 2003, Sukhoia embarked on a second modernization of the su-20 7 to serve as an interim aircraft awaiting the development of the su-57 program, also known as the su-35.
This version has redesigned cockpit and weapons control systems and features thrust vectoring engines in place of the canards.
This type made its first flight in February of 2008.
Although it was designed for export, the Russian Air Force became the launch customer in 2009, with the production version designated the su-35s.
China’s people’s Liberation Army Air Force has also placed orders now, while no country has yet to have revealed a sixth generation fighter with all the upgrades it’s gotten over the years, it’s highly likely that this reliable fighter will soon be souped up to be brought into the Next Generation.
Saab Gripen E
, number 12.. the Saab Ripon E. when you hear the words military aircraft, very rarely does the country of Sweden come to mind.
They’ve still managed to create an affordable, yet versatile and lethal jet fighter: the Sob grip and E. the most prominent feature of the recent Series E is perhaps the fact that it’s been configured for the rapid insertion of new hardware and software updates for each new Mission.
The computers themselves could be swapped out almost on the Fly, allowing for the grip and E to constantly evolve and keep up with new software and Technologies.
The goal here is to make the most adaptable and battle-ready jet fighter in the world.
The pilot can fight on day one of a conflict, make the proper adjustments and Implement applications into the software to make it ready and even more lethal for day two.
Updates can even occur mid-flight, and this type of fighter is helping to usher in the age of digital aircraft.
The payload has also increased on the Saab Gripen, allowing it to carry up to seven meteor air-to-air missiles, and comes with a 360 degree missile approach warning system.
Yeah, I’m sure the sub grippity will expand to International markets as more and more countries catch wind of its capabilities, as well as serve as a blueprint for things to come.
Dassault Rafale
Number 11 Deso Rafal, developed by the French company De so.
The rafale is an impressive multi-role aircraft that can perform deep air support, maintain Air Supremacy, burial reconnaissance, ground support and even nuclear deterrence.
The aircraft was designed after France withdrew from The Joint European fighter jet programs due to disagreements with other countries.
Since then, France replaced its older Mirage Fighters with the higher performance rafale.
This model has features, like its direct voice input, active electronically scanned array and infrared search and track system, that are specific to the rafale and aren’t found on any other aircraft.
It’s become so popular, in fact, that India, Qatar, Greece and Egypt have placed orders for the aircraft, with other countries quickly adding their name to the list as well.
The spider will no doubt prove its dang power as it undergoes constant upgrades to One Day Fly the skies as a sixth generation fighter.
F15EX Strike Eagle
– number 10: F-15 Ex Strike Eagle or the Boeing f-15ex eagle 2.. if you’ve ever flown commercial, then you’re definitely familiar with Boeing.
But what about their line of military aircraft?
Well, Boeing has developed their f-15ex for the United States Air Force, which is a variant of the F-15 Strike Eagle.
This variant comes with a new control system and high-tech weapon capabilities, such as its infrared homing, air-to-surface missiles and laser-guided bombs.
This is a major upgrade for the aircraft that played a prominent role in Us missions during the war on terror.
The f-15ex is taking part in calculated airstrikes against high-value targets, combat air patrols and provided close air support for Coalition troops.
In 2021, the United States authorized the sale of the f-15ex to foreign allies, but it’s been a game changer for the country’s overseas operations too.
Shenyang FC31
– number nine: Shenyang Fc31. using the fifth generation Fighters as the blueprint for what comes next, we have the Shenyang Fc31.
This guy’s China’s most recent next-gen fighter, and, frankly, the country hasn’t made too much information available to the public.
But what they have let the world know is that it will be an absolute Powerhouse and will be joining the ranks of its military soon.
Referred to in many reports as the Snowy owl, the Shenyang Fc31 is a lightweight twin-engine fighter with an engine nozzle redesigned, making it harder to detect by radar and keeping its infrared signature to a minimum.
That fact, coupled with its stealth Coatings, will make it a sneaky fighter.
This Chinese stealth fighter of the future is also said to have a pretty beefy payload too, being able to hold up to 18 000 pounds across four Munitions carried on six external hard points.
So far, you’re looking at some pl-10 short range missiles, pl-21 missiles and pl-12 medium range air-to-air missiles.
So it’s safe to say that while the Shenyang Fc31 will be a great stealth fighter capable of reconnaissance mission, it will be a hearty dog fighter as well.
Just make sure you’re not on the receiving end of this thing.
FCAS
Number eight: Fkas.
The future combat air system, or fcast for short, is a European combat system of systems under development by De So Aviation, Airbus, Indra systems and thales group.
The F-Cas will consist of Next Generation weapon systems as well as other air Assets.
In the future operational battle space.
The Next Generation weapon system.
Components will be a remote carrier vehicle or swarming drones, as well as a sixth generation jet fighter that, by around 2040, will replace France’s refalse, Germany’s typhoons and Spain’s ef-18 Hornets.
The F-Cas has been around for nearly two decades now and was developed in the frame of the etap, the European technology acquisition program that was started in 2001 as a cooperation between Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Sweden and Spain.
The futuristic concept opted for the mix of both manned and unmanned systems, combat aircraft and ucav to be more efficient in envisioning future scenarios than operating with manned systems alone.
In 2017, Germany and Spain asked Airbus to start working on a proposal for a new fighter under the name future combat air system.
At the 2018 Ila Berlin Air Show to sow Aviation and Airbus announced an agreement to cooperate on the development of the Fkas, and in December of 2018, the German defense Ministry welcomes Spain’s expression of interest in the program too.
Just one year later, Spain joined number seven, the fax Program.
Faxx is a development and acquisition program for a future 6th generation air superiority fighter to replace the United States Navy’s Fa-18ef Super Hornet and complement the f-35c beginning in the 2030s.
It’s got a ways to go, but much like the jet, those years are sure to fly by fast, and because this is such a serious project centering around air superiority, much of the fun stuff is push hush, but there’s still things that we do know.
The Fax’s primary missions include air combat, air-to-air ground attack, surface Warfare and close air support.
Platform requirements include super Cruise capabilities, as well as advanced Next Generation stealth features, sensors and Radars with networking adaptability.
Additional missions and capabilities include air-to-air refueling, reconnaissance surveillance, Target acquisition and electronic warfare and countermeasures.
Manned, unmanned and optionally manned operations for a highly adaptive platform will be part of the new system.
The fax is being pursued as fa-18 super Hornets will reach the end of their 9 000 hours of service life.
Aside from the option of buying more f-35cs, the Fa Double X is seeking to create a new aircraft to replace the super Hornet’s capability and Mission set.
But one of the highest hopes for this next Generation fighter is the Smart skin, which would have sensors and electronics integrated into the fuselage of the aircraft itself to increase sensor performance while reducing drag and increasing speed and maneuverability.
Mikoyan PAC DP
While nobody wants a war to break out, it seems that as we move forward, military technology comes closer and closer to what we experience in video games: , number six, the Miko yawn pack Dp.
The Miko yawn pack Dp is a Russian program to develop a stealth Interceptor aircraft and heavy fighter to replace the Michelyan Mig-31 in the Russian Air Force sometime in the mid-2030s.
It’s often referred to as the mikoyan mig-41 because its project code is product 41, but its official designation has never been given, as Russian planes only get their official designation when they’re about to enter service.
This is another top secret project aimed at Russian air dominance, but that hasn’t stopped the rest of the world from speculating, especially seeing what their already existing aircraft are capable of.
The Pac Dp is allegedly on track to become an Interceptor of hypersonic missiles by carrying a multi-functional long-range interceptor missile system that will dispense several sub-missiles in order to increase the chance of intercepting Hypersonic weapons.
It’s also intended to carry anti-satellite missiles, so, needless to say, this aircraft of the future will pack quite the punch.
It’s also speculated that would be capable of Mach 4, equipped with an anti-missile laser and able to operate at very high altitudes and even in near space, which is where that anti-satellite missile comes in handy.
The incredibly high altitude capability will ensure that the pack Dp can cover the entire motherland in a matter of minutes, if not seconds, and will very likely have stealth technology, with both manned and unmanned versions available before the decades over.
F16 Fighting Falcon
5: the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the next entry on our list, is, without a doubt, one of the most popular fighters in the world.
Developed in the United States, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is loved by all and has been a Mainstay in Air Forces all around the world.
It was originally developed back in the 1970s by General Dynamics and entered service just before the 1980s showed up.
It’s been an active service to this day.
It is an oldie, but it’s still a good one.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon was first developed purely as an air superiority fighter, but as the decades rolled on, all sorts of bells and whistles have been added that allow it to fulfill a more diverse role and has gone on to become a multi-role fighter.
The most recent iteration of the Fighting Falcon is the F-16v, which can hold its own against even the latest and greatest Fighters out there.
And while the official name of this jet is Fighting Falcon, many Pilots lovingly refer to it as the Viper, not only because of its Sleek appearance but also because of its lethality.
Chengdu J20
Number four: the Chengdu J-20.
The Chengdu j-20 is probably China’s favorite stealth fighter.
It was designed to compete with the fourth and fifth generation Fighters coming out of the United States and Russia, and the first model was delivered just a short time afterward, in 2016..
That’s just about as fast as this thing is, but the j-20 was officially adopted by the Chinese Air Force in 2017.. but, as I implied earlier, the Chinese military likes to keep certain aspects of their comings and goings a bit on the down low, so, when it comes to official spec, not everything is known, but what we do know is that the j-20 acts as a medium and long range air superiority fighter, with both long-range air-to-air missiles and two side Mountain weapons Bays for shorter range air-to-air engagement, and so, on top of being a solid Choice when it comes to engaging enemy aircraft, rumors abound that it’s got a secondary ground attack capability as well.
Sukhoi Su57
So, instead of being a true fifth generation Fighter, the j-20 is an extremely Advanced fourth generation craft, pushing it to the Limit number three: Sukhoi su-57.
Russia’s su-57 is a stealth fighter built to replace aircraft like the MiG-29 and su-27, and is Russia’s answer to a certain American plane that we just might see on this list.
A little bit.
Development of the su-57 began at the turn of the century, in 2001, and the first batch wasn’t delivered until 2018, which is 12 pre-production Fighters which were initially deployed in Syria to test their medal.
Needless to say, things worked out for the new su-57 and the Russians were pleased and placed an order for another 200 of them.
This is a multi-role fighter, but it began its life as a stealthy air superiority fighter, but after its time out of the field, it proved itself as a very capable ground attack fighter too, engaging surface targets.
There is some debate, however, around the su-57.
The Russian Air Force Will Go On The Record saying it’s a fifth generation fighter, while the Us military officials have referred to it as an advanced 4th gen.
But either way, the su-57 certainly speaks for itself.
With its two large internal weapons Bays mounted between the engine fighter is working with 10 internal and six external hardpoints for all sorts of missiles and even guided bombs.
F22 Raptor
This thing is not to be trifled with number two, the F-22 Raptor, keeping up with the scary nicknames, is another amazing fighter from the folks at Lockheed Martin.
The F-22 Raptor, employed in the United States Air Force.
The F-22 Raptor entered service in 2005 and at the time, was unmatched by any other aircraft.
The F-22 proved its worth just two years after its first appearance, when two were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers at the Elmendorf Air Force Base.
It is a force to be reckoned with, and a mighty, stealth fighter at that.
The F-22 is specially designed to be incredibly difficult to detect and track by any radar under any circumstances, and its airframe and shape and fixed geometry-
Serpentine inlets and curved veins- prevent line of sight of the engine and turbines from any exterior view of the aircraft.
The frame is also made of plenty of radar absorbent materials, and even the Pilot’s helmet provides a radar return reduction.
This prehistoric predator has decreased radio emissions and infrared and acoustic signatures and has all around reduced visibility to the naked eye.
And then there’s its ability to mitigate heat-seeking surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.
So even if you do manage to see it, the F-22 Raptor can easily outsmart even the best equipment money can buy, and even then it can reach supersonic flight.
So it’s not going to be seen unless it wants to be, and I promise you it does not.
Number one.
Engad short for Next Generation air dominance.
Engad is the United States Air Force’s sixth generation fighter initiative.
The end goal here is to create what they call a family of systems that is eventually to supersede the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
A manned fighter aircraft is the centerpiece program of the initiative and has been referred to as the penetrating counter air and is to be supported by unmanned loyal wingman platforms.
Science fiction is quickly becoming a reality here.
Darpa has completed its air dominance initiative study in March of 2014 and in 2015, launched Aerospace innovation initiative to develop X-Plane prototypes to demonstrate the technology for future aircraft.
The Ngad aims to develop certain key Technologies in areas like jet propulsion, stealth, Advanced Weaponry, digital design and thermal management of the aircraft signature.
When this aircraft debuts, hopefully at the end of the decade, it’s going to be the most formidable fighter ever made.
The program changes traditional Air Force acquisition by the separation of design, production and support functions in the development process, with a whopping nine billion dollar budget through 2025.
More frequent industry competitions and simulations in the design and Manufacturing process are characteristic of the development program, and gets serves as the centerpiece of the aforementioned family of systems, with the other parts of the network likely to be on-demand escort aircraft to be carrying extra Munitions and perform other missions.
Meaning the robot army is here.
Just hope they’re the good guys.
In particular, ngat aims to develop a system that addresses the operational needs of the specific theater of operations where current Us Air Force Fighters lack sufficient range and payload.
Us Air Force commanders have noted that there may be two variants of ingad: one with long range and payload for the indo-Pacific, and one more oriented to the relatively short ranges between possible battle areas in Europe.
The Engad fighter is expected to leverage adaptive cycle engines being developed under the Adaptive engine transition program and Next Generation adaptive propulsion program, with flight ready engines expected as soon as 2025, and although they one day will be replaced by the Endgad fighters, the Us Air Force’s f-22s have already begun testing out a lot of this future Tech with various levels of success.
I’ll see you next time.
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