USAF seeks answer to ‘money question’ after first NGAD prototype flight
The USAF has secretly flown a full-scale prototype of a Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft, developed and built using digital design techniques and technologies.
The service is now weighing options to launch in earnest a sixth-generation fighter programme, beginning in FY2022.
Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper revealed the major development on 15 September during the Air Force Association annual convention. He made the disclosure to demonstrate how commercial digital design tools can be used to create complicated weapon systems.
‘The NGAD test flights have been amazing,’ Roper told reporters. ‘Records have been broken.’
He waxed lyrical about the NGAD
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Extending mission readiness: where XR adds real value in pilot, crew and maintenance training]()
Extending mission readiness: where XR adds real value in pilot, crew and maintenance training
Extended reality (XR) is becoming increasingly relevant in military aviation training, adding a flexible layer to an integrated ecosystem spanning the pilot, crew, and maintenance domains.
-
![August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows]()
August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows
The KC-390 is building a growing international operator base, but competition in the transport and tanker market is increasingly likely to depend on interoperability, commonality and the strength of supporting ecosystems. Meanwhile, Boeing’s KC-46 and Airbus’s A330 also gained ground in August.
-
![Iran war exposes the limits of US military mass]()
Iran war exposes the limits of US military mass
As the Straits of Hormuz continue to witness military action of various types, what does this mean for combat air and air defence planners in the region and beyond?
