In an era of rapid technological advancement, the competition to create the most advanced military aircraft has always been fierce.

But now, with nations around the globe racing to develop sixth-generation fighter jets, the stakes are higher than ever.

The UK Ministry of Defense is spearheading the Tempest program, a sixth-generation fighter jet initiative, in collaboration with BAE Systems and various other European manufacturers.

The FCAS project involves a consortium of leading European weapons manufacturers, such as Leonardo, Rolls-Royce, and MBDA UK.

The British government is projected to allocate 2 billion pounds towards the project’s initial phase by 2025.

The Tempest is set to feature groundbreaking technologies, including deep learning AI, drone swarm coordination, directed-energy weapons, a virtual cockpit in-helmet, and hypersonic weapons.

Stealth is an essential component, with delta wings and outward-pointing vertical stabilizers and internal twin engines to minimize radar cross-section.

The United States is not far behind, with its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program steaming ahead under a veil of secrecy.

This multi-faceted endeavor aims to maintain air superiority with an innovative system-of-systems approach, eschewing reliance on a singular platform.

At the core of the network-integrated NGAD family of systems will be a sixth-generation fighter aircraft.

This will be supported by various manned aircraft, loyal wingman-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and sophisticated command, control, and communication systems.

The US Air Force plans to acquire 200 Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighters and 1,000 unmanned collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), with the expectation of deploying two CCA platforms for every NGAD fighter and an additional two for each of the 300 F-35 fifth-generation fighters.

The U.S. Air Force has even flown a full-scale flight demonstrator, and eyes are set on replacing the F-22 Raptor around 2030.

Limited information is available regarding Russia’s advancements in sixth-generation technology. The Prospective Air Complex for Long-Range Interception program is currently in progress, focusing on the development of an interceptor succeeding the fourth-generation MiG-31. This new aircraft, known as the MiG-41 and manufactured by Mikoyan, aims to push the boundaries of aerial capabilities.

In 2022, the Global Combat Air Programme was unveiled, with the UK partnering with Italy and Japan to produce a sixth-generation fighter aircraft by 2035. This collaborative effort aims to replace the Eurofighter Typhoons of the UK and Italy, as well as Japan’s Mitsubishi F-2s, with a cutting-edge aircraft.

Relevant articles:
– Tempest: This Might Be the Ultimate 6th Generation Fighter, The National Interest
– Next Generation Air Dominance Programme, US, Airforce Technology
– NGAD: America’s New 6th Generation Fighter Is Not What You Think, The National Interest
– The global development of sixth-generation fighters, Airforce Technology