Aircraft
Inside the US Air Force’s NGAD F-X aircraft
The Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) is the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) concept to connect sensors from all military services — Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force — into a single network. Alex Love looks at the latest developments in the programme, the opportunities it presents and the hurdles it will need to overcome.
Alexandra Stickings:
// Alex Giles, CCO at Iceni Labs
Body
The sixth-generation aircraft is a wedge-shaped fighter jet, a shape that optimises speed and stealth
Engines
Two GE XA100 engines use an adaptive cycle design that provides a high-thrust mode for maximum power and a high-efficiency mode for fuel savings and loiter time as part of the USAF’s Adaptive Engine Transition Programme
Air intake
Large air intakes over the aircraft to the left and right of the cockpit, shielding their infrared signature
Cockpit
Bubble canopy cockpit suggests the aircraft will be crewed or optionally crewed
Stabilisers
Vertical stabilisers may enhance manoeuvrability and fuel-efficient and can be folded for stealth
Blended wings
The blended body and wing could store fuel and advanced weapons in internal weapons bays
C4I
NGAD will offer multi-domain awareness and agile, resilient communications including satellite connections
Skyborg drone
NGAD will see the fighter aircraft team collaboratively with Skyborg “loyal wingman” low-cost, attritable autonomous drones. Skyborg is not a specific design but an artificial “brain” that can operate various drone bodies. Boeing, General Atomics and Kratos are building prototypes for the programme.
// Main image: Noemi Balint
JEDI was developed at a time when the department’s needs were different
// Click on the dots below. Illustration: Noemi Balint
C4I
NGAD will offer multi-domain awareness and agile, resilient communications including satellite connections
Cockpit
Bubble canopy cockpit suggests the aircraft will be crewed or optionally crewed
Engines
Two GE XA100 engines use an adaptive cycle design that provides a high-thrust mode for maximum power and a high-efficiency mode for fuel savings and loiter time as part of the USAF’s Adaptive Engine Transition Programme
Air intake
Large air intakes over the aircraft to the left and right of the cockpit, shielding their infrared signature
Stabilisers
Vertical stabilisers may enhance manoeuvrability and fuel-efficient and can be folded for stealth
Blended wings
The blended body and wing could store fuel and advanced weapons in internal weapons bays
Body
The sixth-generation aircraft is a wedge-shaped fighter jet, a shape that optimises speed and stealth
Skyborg drone
NGAD will see the fighter aircraft team collaboratively with Skyborg “loyal wingman” low-cost, attritable autonomous drones. Skyborg is not a specific design but an artificial “brain” that can operate various drone bodies. Boeing, General Atomics and Kratos are building prototypes for the programme.
// Hover over dots. Graphics by Noemi Balint
The US Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme is a family of systems currently under development by the US Air Force (USAF) and industry partners. At the centre of this programme will be a sixth-generation fighter jet to replace the F-22, commonly referred to as F-X.
The USAF revealed it carried out a test flight of a full-size prototype in September 2020, but no photograph of the top-secret aircraft has yet been released and details remain sketchy. However, the recent biennial USAF acquisition report contained an image that many have taken to represent the F-X, and related contracts have dropped hints about its functionality.
Using an interactive graphic, we take look at what we know so far – and hazard a guess on what we don’t – about the technology that comprises the NGAD F-X aircraft.