Boeing 6th Gen Navy Fighter - F/A-XX

[Fluff]

What on earth is all-aspect, 360 degree stealth? Can anyone explain the physics behind this, or are we really just dreaming of black holes and science fiction?

same as 1000mm of armour all round, on your Battle Tank.

 

[quellish]

What on earth is all-aspect, 360 degree stealth?

A myth perpetuated by people who don’t understand physics.

 

[fure]

Most of the key new technologies deemed critical for NGAD have not been widely publicly discussed. Those things and the capabilities they deliver will probably define what “sixth generation” means to people.

Does NGAD share these technologies with the F/A-XX or are they primarily for the F-47?

 

[Training_Dummy]

A myth perpetuated by people who don’t understand physics.

Only a Klingon could understand

 

[Avimimus]

I agree with you on that, and I did mention this some pages earlier, but I believe that the F-47 and the F/A-XX will be wholly different system due to the USAF and US Navy having different requirements for their respective programs, but given that many of those requirements align with each other, they would share common ancestry in both technology, doctrine and many more, including sensor fusion, CCAs, advanced stealth and increased range, among others.

Different size, different engine, different carrier capability - but both sixth generation and from the same manufacturer (and possibly sharing some systems, such as sensors or flight controls)... should be interesting.

People talk about the J-35 and F-35 showing convergence partly because they are 5th generation carrier aircraft... it may be similar in that there will be a lot of convergence in two quite distinct designs (albeit two Boeing designs)... which may make the degree of common ancestry a bit hard to assess (until the book is published anyway).

 

[NMaude]

and put all the computers for the F/A-XX in a classified area and not accessible to the internet.

Basically the same arrangement as the supercomputers at Los Alamos (These are the computers that simulate exploding nuclear-warheads to test nuke designs).

 

[FroggyFrog]

Basically the same arrangement as the supercomputers at Los Alamos (These are the computers that simulate exploding nuclear-warheads to test nuke designs).

Ironically the air-gapped systems at Los Alamos have had data exfiltrated numerous times, including by China

 

[NMaude]

Ironically the air-gapped systems at Los Alamos have had data exfiltrated numerous times, including by China

Are you sure about that?

 

[Scott Kenny]

Are you sure about that?

Thumb drives are a thing.

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

Forgive me if this has been stated before, but the USNI announcement of the selection had this to say with respect to the source selection:
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said earlier this year the choice for the F/A-XX contract came down to the capacity of the builder. “The Navy’s got a lot of demand… making sure that we don’t, again, fall into a trap of oversubscribing,” he said. “One of the contractors who would make this plane for us is in a place where they really can’t deliver in the time frame we need it. So, there was a ‘check twice, cut once’ kind of mentality here on this decision.”

 

[Sferrin]

Leave a thumb drive laying around. Someone picks it up and then plugs it in to see whose it is. Oops.

 

[Sferrin]

Forgive me if this has been stated before, but the USNI announcement of the selection had this to say with respect to the source selection:
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said earlier this year the choice for the F/A-XX contract came down to the capacity of the builder. “The Navy’s got a lot of demand… making sure that we don’t, again, fall into a trap of oversubscribing,” he said. “One of the contractors who would make this plane for us is in a place where they really can’t deliver in the time frame we need it. So, there was a ‘check twice, cut once’ kind of mentality here on this decision.”

Apparently Boeing has all kinds of extra capacity laying around. Just as soon as they get the buildings built.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Apparently Boeing has all kinds of extra capacity laying around. Just as soon as they get the buildings built.

Like the Super Bug production line ending...

 

[Training_Dummy]

Apparently Boeing has all kinds of extra capacity laying around. Just as soon as they get the buildings built.

However Boeing has been investing in specific facilities across at least three states for over half a decade before the F-47 decision to give them the capacity for both services’ NGAD programs. NG was still looking at real estate.

Like the Super Bug production line ending...

I suspect F/A-XX production line will look nothing like Super Hornets or EX. Some worker overlap/skills; totally different processes, for the most part. The artwork Boeing has floated over the years is admittedly fantastical but still usefully illustrative of the differences in production method changes between even how F-35 is made vs the NGADs, let alone the 35 yo -18E/F/G line