The Air Force is one of the largest arms of Russia. The technological superiority of aircraft is the most important criterion for the combat effectiveness of the Air Force. And therefore, the armies of the leading powers of the world — Russia, the USA, and China — are striving in this respect to be one step ahead of the rest of the planet. And therefore, they strive not only to equip their troops with modern and technical models, but also to engage in promising developments. Including in the field of aviation.
Now in the bowels of many world design bureaus, a 6th generation fighter is being created. Machines of "junior" ranks are already flying and being manufactured. They managed to release both the Russians and the Americans, and, according to some reports, the Chinese. And therefore, the key factor in the competitiveness of the national armies of states will be the replenishment of the Air Force with a higher generation fighter. When to expect the appearance of such machines?
6th generation criteria
Actually, based on what criteria can a new fighter be assigned to 6th generation aircraft? Among the main ones that are called experts are flight autonomy. That is, the machine will be controlled not by a person, but by a computer - in automatic mode or through remote interaction with people. At the same time, there are experts in the field of aviation who say that a 6th generation fighter can be manned. It is entirely possible, experts admit, that the latest-class machines will be produced in two technological implementations simultaneously.
There is a version that the unmanned concept is closer to the American aviators, and the Russian, in turn, the one in which the aircraft will be manned. Designers from the United States, as noted in a number of sources, expect thereby to give the fighters incredibly high resistance to overloads, since the robot can withstand them without problems. The Russians, in turn, are inclined to believe that no computer is capable of controlling a machine at the human level. However, among aircraft designers from the Russian Federation there are many supporters of unmanned concepts as well. True, as some experts note, in this regard, Russian engineers are somewhat inferior to their Western counterparts. In support of this, unsuccessful tests of the latest models of unmanned vehicles created in the Russian Federation are given. And therefore, the 6th generation fighter, Russia, experts say, is likely to create, on the basis of the concept, where people will fly the aircraft.
Among the other most important criteria for promising machines, experts also call extreme stealth. The current level of stealth technology provides aircraft protection from air defense systems by far not 100%. Moreover, if we take the most modern air defense systems, such as, for example, the Russian S-400, then the "stealth" at the existing level is hardly an obstacle for them. However, the 6th generation fighter, as experts expect, will be able to leave out of work even the most advanced air defense systems due to stealth. By the way, defense means against air defense (anti-missiles, false targets, etc.) can supplement the above criterion.
The next criterion is the incomparably higher speed of the fighter in comparison with the machines of previous generations. If now the fastest military aircraft fly with an index of the order of 3 Mach, then the 6th generation is expected to be able to overcome the threshold of 5. The cruising speed (without including afterburner traction) of the latest fighters, experts say, will definitely be supersonic. She will also be able to recruit much faster. It is possible the cruising speed of the fighters of the future will be identical to today's afterburning speeds - Mach 1.5-2. One of the likely characteristics of the engines that will be installed on ultrafast fighters is a very high efficiency. Thanks to it, airplanes can fly for a long time without refueling, and therefore carry patrols at large distances relative to their bases.
From a structural point of view, machines of the 6th generation, experts believe, will be very ergonomic. It is possible that the wing, for example, will for the most part be mounted in the fuselage. There is a possibility, experts say, that world-class fighters belonging to the 6th generation will not be equipped with vertical plumage. Perhaps the design of the aircraft will be based on the concept of a “flying wing” (similar to the futuristic looking B-2, which is in service with the US Air Force).
What will the latest fighters look like? The photo below can give us rough guidelines.
Machines of the 6th generation are likely to be super-maneuverable (including on the condition of flying at huge speeds). For this, engines with a deflected thrust vector will be installed in all models. The aircraft will have to easily maneuver at angles of about 60 degrees. Why is an airplane of such a quality if near air battles are most likely to be unlikely? The main point of view in this regard - over-maneuverability allows fighters to move within the framework of the so-called "anti-missile" trajectories. That is, when an approaching head from an air defense system is approaching, the car can go abruptly to the side. An anti-aircraft missile, thereby not having time to calculate this maneuver, misses the target.
What else will be added in the latest fighters? It is quite possible to expect the appearance in them of a more perfect, in comparison with existing, mechanism of interaction with ground-based objects. And not only land, but also sea, space, or even underwater. The best fighter in the newest generation, experts say, is the one that, above all, will be able to exchange tactical and strategic data with the command post and other aircraft faster than others, and receive information from satellites. All this will allow the pilot to get ahead of the enemy in making key decisions that affect the success of the combat mission.
Also, most likely, 6th generation military fighters will be equipped with weapons with a much larger radius of combat use than today's models allow. There is a version that precisely due to resources for hitting targets from a long distance, vehicles will be able to withstand confrontation with the latest air defense systems. For example, it will be possible to launch a combat missile before the radar detects an aircraft. Most likely, the latest machines will be equipped not only with missile weapons, which are mainly used now, but also with laser systems. Moreover, for a variety of purposes: both those that are designed for electronic warfare (disabling enemy avionics), and those lasers that can themselves hit targets. It is possible that the weapon will also be electromagnetic. And those missiles that are supposed to be put on 6th generation machines will fly at such a speed that the air defense systems simply can not “keep up with them."
Will there be the best fighter in the world?
Another interesting question. Some experts believe it is unlikely that any of the aircraft designers will be able to create the objectively best fighter in the world. By the time machines of the 6th generation are put into operation, the level of technology in them is expected to be approximately the same. Approximately this situation is now with fighters of the 5th generation. The Russian T-50 and the American F-22, in general, according to many experts, have very similar potential and a comparable level of technology. And this despite the fact that fighters of the 3rd and 4th generation manufactured in the Russian Federation (and before that in the Soviet Union) in some cases, according to many experts, were a cut above American counterparts and vice versa. Regarding the 6th generation, then, as experts believe, even if only some planes lead, say, in speed, there is no guarantee that in other components (for example, in maneuverability) they will not yield to competitors. A very important factor will be the support of vehicles from other branches of the armed forces - space, air defense, navy, and in certain tasks - also ground forces.
Does Russia need a 6th generation airplane?
Among aviation experts, there is an opinion that a 6th generation fighter is not needed by modern armies, including the Russian one. Two main types of arguments are supported. According to the first of them - air defense systems will still develop more intensively than winged equipment. And therefore, it is completely inappropriate, experts say, to create a fleet of the latest and most likely incredibly expensive fighters, since they are likely to be shot down during the battles.
Another argument - the technology of building modern military aircraft, in principle, have reached such a level that making a machine that would be really stronger is problematic. Russian T-50 aircraft, American F-22 fighter jets, as well as, probably, 5th generation Chinese aircraft , which are already preparing for release , are, in principle, sufficiently technological to meet the needs of the army for decades to come, experts say. In particular, such a parameter as a deflected thrust vector, which will be expected to be mandatory for 6th generation aircraft, is present on many modern machines. And the very super maneuverability that we spoke about above is present even on some 4th generation fighters. Not to mention the modern T-50 and F-22. In addition, the cruising speed of both aircraft, according to some experts, may well reach supersonic values.
Ahead of their time
There is a version that current fighter models are designed to serve for 50 years. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that even the previous aircraft, 4 generations developed in the mid-60s, have successfully served in the armies of the leading military powers of the world so far. Their basic characteristics - fighter speed, armament, maneuverability - are quite adequate, experts say, to modern tasks. Such, in particular, include such machines as the Russian Su-30, the American F-14.
There is also an opinion that even some 4th-generation aircraft can quite successfully compete in some components with promising developments. In particular, some experts rank Russian fighters Su-35, MiG-29 in the latest modifications as such. In addition, existing machines (both 4 and 5 generations) have, according to many experts, huge potential for modernization. And therefore, many of the functions that are expected to be seen in promising aircraft, it is quite possible to "screw" to the samples of the previous generation of fighters.
When will the new cars appear?
When will the new class aircraft appear? According to experts, test tests of such aircraft are possible within the next 10 years, the launch into production is real for 20. There is a version that the Americans will build the first 6th generation fighter. This is facilitated primarily by the colossal US military budget, which is several times greater than the one that Russia and China have at their disposal, even if they are summed up. Also, the United States has an enviable, according to many experts, technological potential.
Although, as some experts note, not all Americans are so positive. In particular, many experts criticize existing advanced developments from the USA - the same F-22, as well as the promising F-35 (which, by the way, does not belong to the 5th generation, which can indirectly confirm the lack of interest of designers in reaching the 6th level).
Existing Prototypes: American Concepts
What are the prototypes of 6th generation cars? What is the best fighter of the latest class supposed to be in the world?
Some experts consider the F / A-XX project developed by Boeing to be such. It is assumed that this will be a carrier-based fighter for the US Navy, which can be used in a wide range of combat missions. The prototype of the machine was introduced to the world by Boeing engineers back in 2008. The design feature of the aircraft is that it has no vertical tail, while almost all modern fighters possess it. Photo of the unusual F / A XX below.
The wings of the device, as experts say, are similar to those of the F-22. In the cockpit of a promising aircraft, based on the presented layout, there are two places for pilots. The first, experts believe, will control the fighter, and the second - direct unmanned aerial vehicles that are included in the armament kit. At the same time, many experts were confused by the large declared weight of the machine - 45 tons. However, there is an opinion on this matter - a more powerful engine can be installed on the heavy case, due to which the overall thrust-weight ratio of the device can be increased. The engine, which may be standing on the F / A-XX, is the same as the one installed on the F-35. Which once again confirms the fact that many of today's technologies already meet the criteria of the 6th generation. The expected launch of F / A-XX into production is the mid-2020s.
A few years after the first F / A-XX show to the public, Boeing introduced the world to an updated version of its 6th generation concept. According to the project, the aircraft is supposed to be produced exactly in two technological versions - unmanned and the one where the person will control the device. It is assumed that the aircraft will be able to replace the fourth-generation fighter type F-18 in the coming decades.
Boeing Corporation, meanwhile, has another 6th generation fighter concept. This is an FX machine. It is no longer intended for the Navy, but specifically for the US Air Force. It is assumed that this aircraft will replace the F-22. The main advantage of the machine is called a very high speed.
It is known that another American aviation giant - Lockheed Martin - also prepared its concept. True, there are still very few facts about a promising aircraft from this company. There is, perhaps, only information that the car will be produced according to the integrated aerodynamic concept.
Americans, according to some experts, have approximate guidelines for the timing of commissioning of 6 generation fighters. The maximum how much the USA is ready to wait is until the end of the 2030s. In turn, the Americans plan to re-equip the army within 20 years after launching the aircraft in serial production.
Airplane from europe
Among the notable European prototypes of the 6th generation aircraft is the development of the Dassault nEUROn concern. True, all that the engineers of this company can boast for now is a good drone, created with the use of stealth technology. It was shown to the world in 2012. However, those engineering developments that were implemented in it, experts believe, can become the basis for creating a full-fledged 6th generation machine.
Chinese project
At the moment, aircraft designers from China are finalizing 5 generation fighters. We are talking about the aircraft J-20 and J-31. So far, according to experts, Chinese engineers will not be very distracted by promising developments, however, there are facts confirming some interest of designers from China in creating a 6th generation machine. Like the Europeans, engineers from China created a high-tech drone, which was named Lijian, characterized by low visibility for radars. Based on this development, experts say, a promising fighter jet may well be designed. It is possible that to some extent it will meet the criteria of the 6th generation.
Japanese prototype
Designers from Japan, as reported in a number of sources, are also involved in the creation of a new class fighter. It is believed that the basis for the machine will be an experimental aircraft ATD-X. There is a version that the Japanese fighter of the 6th generation will build in alliance with designers from the United States. Experts call the ATD-X a model that could well become the basis for the implementation of the most advanced technologies of the future. Including the development of a 6th generation fighter.
Russian concept
How are things at the domestic design school? Is there any chance that a Russian 6th generation fighter will soon appear? It is only known that the military leadership of the country has plans to create such a machine. There is some information that Sukhoi is engaged in developments in this direction. True, little is known about the possible timing of the start of development and commissioning of such an aircraft. Today, all the resources of domestic developers are thrown at other fighters of Russia - the T-50, belonging to the 5th generation, as well as the modernization of machines belonging to older models. But among experts there is a version that it is the T-50 that can become the basis for the creation of a 6th generation aircraft.
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