Message posted by Peter Merlin (Member since 11/13/2003) on February 27, 2023 at 5:15:00 PST:
In September 2020, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics Will Roper announced that the Air Force had already flown a full-scale flight demonstrator as part of the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. Analysts with the Congressional Research Service surmised that the maiden flight likely occurred about a month earlier based on the movements of senior defense officials during that time. I suspect that there have likely been several first flights of NGAD prototypes from various manufacturers. Boeing's Phantom Works was developing the Voodoo II at least as early as 2017. Northrop Grumman apparently had a first flight of something in 2018 and the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works had a first flight in 2019. Without official confirmation, it is hard to guess where the sixth-generation flight program stands but I am optimistic that there is real progress being made.
In Reply to: 6th generation aircraft with groom? posted by Altner on February 27, 2023 at 4:03:38 PST:
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