NGAD seems to already be making noise as a potentially game-changing 6th-generation stealth fighter. However, all of that big capability will come at an insane cost. Will it even be affordable or worth it? For the U.S. Air Force, next-generation air dominance has a nice ring to it. Otherwise known as NGAD, who wouldn’t like a fighter plane better than the F-35 and F-22? But is it worth the high price tag? Maybe the United States should focus on buying more F-35s and ensuring that F-22s do their jobs. But the NGAD has allure. The 6th generation fighter means the latest in stealth technology, new weapons, and improved engines for supercruise ability, among other modernizations.
Is it worth hundreds of millions of dollars for each airplane? This could be up to twice as much as the F-35 and even more than the F-22’s price tag of $122 million each.
Is It Already Flying?
There have been reports that the Air Force has built a technology demonstrator for the NGAD and it is already flying. The service branch acquisition leaders say the platform is “breaking records.” But high spending is still an issue on Capitol Hill.
Air Force Leadership Believes in the NGAD
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall got an earful about these soaring costs at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 27, but he answered back with optimism about the NGAD based on his experience with the development of the F-22.
“It’s going to be an expensive airplane; F-22 was an expensive airplane. It was one of my aircraft in one of my earlier positions, but it’s also an incredibly effective aircraft. It’s been dominant in the air for decades now. And we expect NGAD to be the same,” Kendall told lawmakers.
Loyal Wingman Concept Means Having a Coach in the Air
Kendall said the NGAD will have an augmentation of stealth drones called the “loyal wingman” concept that are also part of the program. These are expected to be much cheaper than the manned airplane.
“We need a more affordable mix for the future,” Kendall said. “And the question is, how do we get there? And that’s one of the reasons I’m introducing the idea of uncrewed combat aircraft that are much less expensive and can be attritable, … not necessarily expendable—they’re not munitions—but they can be used at a higher rate and help populate our force structure.”
The Drones Are Force Multipliers
The drones will help NGAD pilots attain greater situational awareness and provide targeting data and intelligence and surveillance information that can be shared with the next-generation fighter and command and control airplanes.