6th Gen. Aircraft: Predictions and Expectations

[war&peace]

Next Gen. Aircraft: What to expect
F-35s will soon start entering service in large numbers around the world with an initial plan of 3000 aircrafts to be built and with slated service life till 2070, we can say it will outlast the life spans of the many readers of this article. F-35 is a 5th gen aircraft. However there is no universal definition of what a 5th gen aircraft is or what it should be?
A bit of search offered me a few definitions and the most I liked is as follows
“A 5th gen aircraft should have three main characteristics, (1) stealth, (2) super-cruise and (3) super manoeuvrability “ or we can say that 3s’s. However research for its successor i.e. 6th gen aircrafts have already been initiated silently though the details are not available at this stage. However we can make some educated guess and that’s the core idea of this thread; to share and think about future of aerospace technologies especially related to the next gen. It can be sticky thread so that members can add more info as it becomes available. To start discussion, I put my list of expected features/techs in the next gen aircrafts is
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) piloted
2. Flight by Light (FBL)
3. Radiation shields
4. Hyper-cruise
5. Super-stealthy
6. Satellite linking
7. Flexible structures
8. Extreme super manoeuvrability
Artificial intelligence has made great strides in 21 century thanks to the huge amount of research and modern high performance computational capabilities in compact format that can easily be fit modern aircrafts.

Now the thread is open for discussion…The best tip to keep the discussion focussed and enjoyable for all is start by studying the current advanced aircrafts and their systems, if you don’t have the prior knowledge.

Regards
War & Peace

@Oscar @Quwa @Horus @waz @Manticore @Arsalan @SvenSvensonov @Indus Falcon @Khafee @The SC

 

[war&peace]

One tip that comes to my mind is the LRSB..a few of the technologies can make their way into the 6th gen aircrafts.
@Chinese-Dragon @araz @Bratva @Major Sam

 

[risingsinga]

Nice article and a good initiative and I was expecting someone will start a about next gen aircraft. I have limited knowledge about aircraft technologies as such. But I agree with your point number 1 i.e. the next gen aircraft will be pilotless. However I will invite some other members who can provide more knowledgeable comments @MastanKhan @Joe Shearer @PaklovesTurkiye @HAKIKAT

 

[war&peace]

But I agree with your point number 1 i.e. the next gen aircraft will be pilotless.

Well I think, even if it would be piloted by human; his role will be more on the mission instead of flying and taking care of the immediate threats. Also chances are that two versions of the aircraft will one with optionally piloted and the other without a human pilot with a larger carrying capacity and ability to perform maneuvres north of 9 gs.

 

[Aali Shafi]

I think that the 6th generation aircrafts will be an advanced version of drone technology.

 

[war&peace]

I think that the 6th generation aircrafts will be an advanced version of drone technology.

It will be to some extent combination of UCAVs and 5th gen aircrafts and new techs which still do not exist.

 

[General General]

I always thought a nuclear reactor powered plane is an avenue that has been overlooked. It could fly for years, without needing to land or replenish it food supplies (if it was unmanned). It could also be armed with directed energy weapons mounted on turrets. It won't necessarily need to fly fast if it had a high enough altitude and a powerful radar and antenna.

 

[war&peace]

I always thought a nuclear reactor powered plane is an avenue that has been overlooked. It could fly for years, without needing to land or replenish it food supplies (if it was unmanned). It could also be armed with directed energy weapons mounted on turrets. It won't necessarily need to fly fast if it had a high enough altitude and a powerful radar and antenna.

You should think why only nuclear powered aircraft carriers and submarines (marine systems only) exist but no land or air vehicle has it? and why did USA or Russia not do it yet? Simply because it is impossible and if you knew how nuclear power plants work then perhaps you might have not asked this question since nuclear power plant requires a huge amount of water to cool it down and that's all the nuclear powerplants have to be close to a water source.

 

[-xXx-]

You should think why only nuclear powered aircraft carriers and submarines (marine systems only) exist but no land or air vehicle has it? and why did USA or Russia not do it yet? Simply because it is impossible and if you knew how nuclear power plants work then perhaps you might have not asked this question since nuclear power plant requires a huge amount of water to cool it down and that's all the nuclear powerplants have to be close to a water source.

Lot many nuclear plant use air cooling as their emergency or second option.

In case of aircraft air cooling can even better utilized owing to its higher speeds. Its not unimaginable to say the least, can be done.

 

[war&peace]

Lot many nuclear plant use air cooling as their emergency or second option.

In case of aircraft air cooling can even better utilized owing to its higher speeds. Its not unimaginable to say the least, can be done.

You need knowledge of heat transfer, water can transport heat 1000 times more efficiently than air. There is no single nuclear power plant uses air cooling, You have to back up your claim with some credible source. Furthermore, aircrafts with supercruise fly at Mach 1.5 or above and the skin of aircraft at much higher temperature during flight and it can't be touched even after landing until it cools down and also the cooling fins will cause a huge amount of drag and thus taking away any advantage...plus in case of aircraft crash which do happen even with F-22, you have a nuclear explosion...Do you even think before your comment..alway backup your myths with some facts otherwise you are just trolling.

 

[GURU DUTT]

I think that the 6th generation aircrafts will be an advanced version of drone technology.

so called 6th or say 5+ gen is already here in form of stealthy UCAVs which do have supercruise and cability to do all the jpbs associated with a fighter pilot and they are linked to the control bumker wai sattelite link and its said they are immune to EMP

 

[war&peace]

so called 6th or say 5+ gen is already here in form of stealthy UCAVs which do have supercruise and cability to do all the jpbs associated with a fighter pilot and they are linked to the control bumker wai sattelite link and its said they are immune to EMP

Guru jee reference please. No existing UCAV can perform maneuvres from like a human piloted aircrafts.

 

[GURU DUTT]

Guru jee reference please. No existing UCAV can perform maneuvres from like a human piloted aircrafts.

so you think USA will give you details like there flight logs to proove any point well you can denay it but USA is testing such things for quite some time now you can disagree with it no harm in it .. cheers mate

 

[war&peace]

so you think USA will give you details like there flight logs to proove any point well you can denay it but USA is testing such things for quite some time now you can disagree with it no harm in it .. cheers mate

I am asking how did you get this info or you cooked it up one fine morning or US ambassador told you personally..If you know it and you claim your knowledge on public forum, you should better have a reference....otherwise it is just your wishful thinking.

 

[GURU DUTT]

I am asking how did you get this info or you cooked it up one fine morning or US ambassador told you personally..If you know it and you claim your knowledge on public forum, you should better have a reference....otherwise it is just your wishful thinking.

as i said but here is a glimpse of things to come

its already happening and its not a photoshop