Lockheed’s Revolutionary NGAD Fighter — The Future of Air Combat?
The U.S. Air Force is developing a new generation of air dominance fighters that will replace the aging F-22 Raptor and challenge the emerging threats from China and Russia. The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program aims to field a “family of systems” that will include a manned fighter aircraft, unmanned drones, and other networked platforms that will work together to achieve air superiority in the 2030s and beyond.
The NGAD program is shrouded in secrecy, but Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the F-22 and F-35, has recently teased some glimpses of its concept for the manned fighter component of the NGAD family. The company posted an Instagram story on July 1, 2023, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of its Skunk Works division, which is responsible for developing some of the most advanced and stealthy aircraft in history. Among the silhouettes of iconic planes such as the U-2, SR-71, F-117, and F-35, there was one that stood out: a mysterious, tailless, delta-wing aircraft that could be the NGAD fighter.
As envisioned by Lockheed Martin, the potential human-crewed NGAD aircraft features a diamond-shaped wing with straight leading and trailing edges. The wing and the long, extended fuselage, which has a single conspicuous chine line and abruptly tapers toward the nose, are intimately integrated. The aircraft has no vertical stabilizers or tail fins, which reduces its radar cross-section and improves its stealth characteristics. The engine exhaust is also likely to be shielded from the top and sides to reduce the infrared signature. The cockpit is located near the front of the fuselage, with a large canopy that provides a wide field of view for the pilot. The aircraft may also have internal weapons bays to carry air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.
The NGAD fighter is expected to have some cutting-edge technologies that will give it an edge over its adversaries. These include advanced propulsion systems, such as adaptive engines that can optimize thrust and fuel efficiency for different flight regimes, or even hypersonic engines that can propel the aircraft to speeds above Mach 5. The NGAD fighter may also have advanced weapons, such as directed-energy weapons (lasers or microwaves) that can disable or destroy enemy targets with precision and speed. Additionally, the NGAD fighter may have digital design and manufacturing capabilities, which allow for rapid prototyping and testing of new concepts and features. This could enable the NGAD fighter to evolve and adapt to changing threats and scenarios.
However, the NGAD fighter will not operate alone. It will be part of a larger system of systems that will include unmanned drones, satellites, sensors, and networks that will provide situational awareness, communication, and coordination for the NGAD family. The NGAD fighter will be able to team up with autonomous drones, known as collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), that will act as loyal wingmen and extend the range, payload, and capabilities of the manned fighter. The NGAD fighter will also be able to link up with other assets, such as F-35s, air defense nodes, and a secure combat cloud network, that will enable information sharing and decision making across the joint force.
The NGAD program is moving fast and has already achieved some milestones. In 2020, the Air Force revealed that it had flown a full-scale NGAD demonstrator in a secret location, proving the feasibility and maturity of the concept. In 2022, satellite imagery of Area 51 showed another tailless, delta-wing aircraft that may be related to the NGAD program. In 2023, Lockheed Martin unveiled its concept art of the NGAD fighter, sparking curiosity and speculation among aviation enthusiasts and experts. The Air Force plans to award a contract for the NGAD fighter in 2024 and field the new aircraft in the 2030s.
The NGAD program is ambitious and challenging, but it is also necessary and timely. The U.S. Air Force faces a growing gap in its air superiority capabilities, as the F-22 fleet ages and dwindles, and the F-35 faces delays and limitations. Meanwhile, China and Russia are developing their own fifth- and sixth-generation fighters, such as the J-20, J-31, Su-57, and Checkmate, that could pose serious threats to the U.S. and its allies in the future. The NGAD program aims to restore the U.S. Air Force’s edge in the air and ensure its dominance in the 21st century and beyond.
