Next US Military Fighter Jet Tech

 Sixth Generation Fighter Jets

                    Source:  Lockheed Martin Fighter Jet Concept

What Technologies and Innovations Will They Contain?

Russia and China power plays against their neighbors are driving escalating spending on the next generation - generation 6 - of fighter jets by major powers around the world. The US, UK, Germany, Japan and France are all working on the development of sixth generation fighter jets that will likely go into service by the mid-2030's.  What innovations and new technologies will define them, including for the US Air Force's secret new fighter jet?  Engineers from Raytheon's Intelligence and Space group, in a recent webinar, offered some expert perspectives.

Autonomous and Loaded with Artificial Intelligence

The Raytheon engineers believe the aircraft will have self-landing systems to autonomously land on aircraft carriers and elsewhere in challenging conditions.  They also will be equipped with a single large transmitter that provides air to air radar, air to ground radar, radio and an electronic warfare platform.  And they expect that artificial intelligence (AI) will serve as the co-pilot. AI could be operating drones and semiautonomous, un-crewed aircraft that fly alongside of the crewed fighter.  They also foresee AI being used to jam enemy radar and monitor for threats to the plane and automatically fire off flares to lure the missiles away.  

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