Summary
- Kendall is confident NGAD jet will fly despite developmental pause.
- Program at a critical juncture to ensure design and course.
- NGAD involves loyal wingmen drones and other advancements.
In recent months, there have been growing rumblings that the manned components of sixth-generation fighter programs (including the NGAD, F/A-XX, Tempest, and FACS) may be facing development troubles. However, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall has sought to assuage concerns that the Air Force’s NGAD is at risk, saying he was “absolutely confident” it would be produced. NGAD (the Next Generation Air Dominance program) includes the next sixth-generation fighter for the US Air Force. The Navy’s sixth-generation fighter is typically called F/A-XX.
Kendall confident manned NGAD fighter will fly
According to reporting by The War Zone, Kendall told reporters at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference in Ohio that the NGAD fighter’s development was taking a “pause” of several months to enable the program to “figure out whether we’ve got the right design and to make sure we’re on the right course.” He also states, “I’m absolutely confident we’re still going to do a sixth-generation crewed aircraft.” He didn’t provide any updated information about the expected timeline of the project.
Photo: Mike Mareen | Shutterstock
Kendall explained the project is at a critical juncture when “you really have your last chance to think very carefully, about, ‘Have I really got the right design here? Is this the right concept? Is it the right operational concept? Is it the right program concept, design concept?’”
This apparently walks back from a comment made earlier in the month when Kendall stated, “We’re going to take a hard look at NGAD,” sparking debate on whether the program was on the ropes. The comments were also made at the same time that a draft NDAA bill all but removed funding for the development of the Navy’s sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter jet. Comments that NGAD would not be a replacement for the F-22 Raptor only further enraged the debate.
Photo: Air Force Material Command
Kendall stated that while the manned component of the NGAD program will initially have a human pilot, an optionally crewed version might ultimately be developed as well. There have been suggestions that the British Tempest could also be optionally crewed.
Related
US Air Force Looking To Reduce Costs Of Next Generation Fighter Program
Current estimates project a cost of $300 million per fighter.
Other parts of NGAD progressing
The Air Force is yet to select a prime contractor for the secretive jet, and it is believed that Lockheed Martin and Boeing are competing for it (Northrop Grumman abandoned its efforts last year).
It should be noted that the NGAD program is larger than just the manned fighter jet. It also includes Collaborative Combat Aircraft (also known as loyal wingmen drones). These are continuing their rapid development. Other parts of the program that are still progressing include advanced weapons, electronic warfare suites, sensors, new jet engines, and other systems.