Northrop Grumman announces fighter bid

Officials at Northrop Grumman have announced an ambitious entry into the next generation fighter competition expected to start within the next few years.

The Air Force and Navy will be developing separate requirements under the F-X and F/A-XX programs. In response to this NG has stood up two teams, each developing a separate platform.

It appears they will be going with a tailless supersonic design, based on comments made. It may also be optionally manned.

Milestone A requirements for the F-X program are expected to be released in 2018.

www.defensenews.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

just so i can say it now before anyone else, triangles

a reply to: Zaphod58

Regarding the likely "tailless supersonic design", are we getting to a stage where outright, unmanned aircraft is less complex. Is the need to keep a fragile & fleshy bag of fluid, conscious and functional just too much of a hindrance in modern air warfare, when perhaps this role could be best performed at g1 in a comfortable trailer much like drone pilots or computers operating semi-autonomously.

Will the whole F-35 debacle affect funding for next-gen projects or will there be just lots of talk about managing budget over-runs with open cheque books ?

Please forgive my complete ignorance of the topic Zaphod58

a reply to: penroc3

What about discs?

Next gen indeed.

a reply to: grey580

i guess discs are good for super sonic speeds, maybe they got the control surfaces down now? what a cool time to be alive for aviation that such things are totally doable

Nice to see they aren't going to repeat the F-35's "one tool to do all" mantra.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Just a little humor.

This prodject might even be compleded and operational before the F-35 is operational

a reply to: spy66

lets see if the can get the cannon going in under 5 years

originally posted by: penroc3
a reply to: spy66

lets see if the can get the cannon going in under 5 years

Its like i have heard them say. The F-35 Project is a workfarm to keep the ants accupied.

I'm surprised a next gen fighter is being started now with the F35 program still just getting rolling. Does Northrop have some amazing tail-less tech that they simply think needs to be implemented immediately? Is it the rumored fighter drone that everyone fears so much?

If they can implement pilotless drone tech into a fighter platform then they can massively raise the speed and maneuvering abilities as human limitations are already lower than fighter technology. This is what the next generation fighter will likely be all about.

a reply to: spy66

They need to. The F15's aren't going to last much longer.

a reply to: UmbraSumus

They need to get better fully autonomous onboard software or A.I. that can dogfight without a slow data link to some remote operator. They are working on it and getting there but are not there yet from what I understand.
The unmanned version NG referred to be slaved to a manned version or have a strike role as opposed to a air superiority roll.

a reply to: Sammamishman

why not link up to the LRS-B and fly a few fighters swarm style

a reply to: noeltrotsky

It's an acceptance of the fact that they're facing 20 years of development, and not waiting to get it started.

originally posted by: Sammamishman
a reply to: spy66

They need to. The F15's aren't going to last much longer.

That is true. I dont think the F-16s have much more life left in them either.

But i do like the new concept much better than the F-35s.

It might even have been cheeper to take up the Black Widow again?

a reply to: penroc3

Now you're talk'n.

a reply to: spy66

There's rumor that the Black Widow never really went away.

originally posted by: UmbraSumus
a reply to: Zaphod58

Regarding the likely "tailless supersonic design", are we getting to a stage where outright, unmanned aircraft is less complex. Is the need to keep a fragile & fleshy bag of fluid, conscious and functional just too much of a hindrance in modern air warfare, when perhaps this role could be best performed at g1 in a comfortable trailer much like drone pilots or computers operating semi-autonomously.

Sure. Until you consider the sophistication of ECM in 20 years: attack the craft and the satellites it is talking to. Sure you can make an autonomous 'fail safe mode' to fly home without help, but that's a successful Denial Of Capability vulnerability.

Will the whole F-35 debacle affect funding for next-gen projects or will there be just lots of talk about managing budget over-runs with open cheque books ?

Who is the chairman of the House committee then? If it's Jenna Bush, then expect lots of pork in Texas.

"Does it have DSI inlets?"

-Chinese airforce fanboy