Forget the F-35: Flygsystem-2020 Could Be a 6th Generation Fighter Beast

Other military powers beyond China and America want ‘NGAD-like’ 6th Generation fighters. 

Sweden is quietly surging forward with its own AI-enabled, stealthy 6th-generation fighter intended to blast onto the scene by 2035 to conduct high-speed attacks, control drones from the cockpit, and perform advanced aerial combat maneuvers. 

Flygsystem-2000: The Mystesy ‘NGAD’ 6th Generation Fighter 

Very little detail is known about the Flygsystem-2020 made by Saab, yet much of the writing on the jet indicates it will replace Sweden’s famous JAS 39 Gripen aircraft.  

Advanced stealth, manned-unmanned teaming, and AI-enabled computing and sensing would be expected elements of Sweden’s engineering effort, yet the aircraft still seems extremely mysterious. 

There are no available specs on the aircraft, and it may not be clear how far along the design and manufacturing of the plane is. 

One rendering offered by Saab may provide a few general indications regarding Sweden’s plan for the jet. 

The image shows a single-engine dual-wing configuration with two vertical tails on the back for vectoring. 

The aircraft’s body looks stealthy as it is smoothly rounded in a blended wing-body shape. 

Dual Wing Configuration

Could China’s J-20 5th generation fighter inspire this new fighter? 

The external design looks similar to the Chinese J-20 with the double-wing configuration, yet unlike the Flygsystem 2020, the J-20 has two engines. 

A dual-wing configuration placing a smaller wing in front of a larger one may add weight or compromise agility.

Yet, the design does have some strategic advantages, according to Aerospace Research Central. 

“The primary aerodynamic advantage of having dual wings, particularly in a tandem configuration (one wing positioned behind the other) is the ability to significantly increase lift by creating a “slot effect” where the front wing deflects air downwards over the rear wing effectively increasing the airflow over the rear wing and generating more lift at lower speeds, while also improving stability and reducing induced drag compared to a single wing design,” ARC explains. 

Generally speaking, dual-wing designs tend to be slower than single-wing fighter jets, yet they are understood to improve stability and lift at lower speeds. 

This analysis makes sense when looking at the J-20 because although the PLA Air Force platform hits fast speeds of Mach 2.0, it is slower and less agile than an F-22.

Increased stability at slower speeds could increase air-to-ground attack effectiveness, which the J-20 is capable of. For example, although known as a stealth fighter, the J-20 can also operate in a “bomb truck” mode, carrying a more significant amount of ordnance than other 5th-generation aircraft. 

Swedish Bomb Truck and Questions 

Therefore, it stands to reason that perhaps the Flygsystem-2020 is similarly intended to blend stealth attack technology with an ability to drop large amounts of ordnance with longer and more stable “dwell time.”

Going back to the J-20 example, the J-20 operates with a maximum payload capacity of 24,000 pounds, whereas the F-35 is listed as maxing out at 18,000.  

The most significant unanswered questions about the new Swedish airplane likely relate to less-visible attributes such as the jet’s ability to network, conduct long-range sensing, and fire long-range precision weapons.

For instance, will the Flygsystem-2020 operate with an ability to network with F-35s? Should this be possible, the new Swedish aircraft could prove highly relevant across the European continent given the fast-growing numbers of F-35s. 

JAS 39 Gripen. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Part of this equation pertains to the extent to which the Flygsystem-2020 will network with the US 6th-gen Next-Generation Air Dominance aircraft, or NGAD. 

Related to this, the Flygsystem-2020 is reported to be designed and built with an ability to control drones from the cockpit, something which has proven to be a high priority for the US. 

This improves survivability and expands operational scope as manned jets operate at safer stand-off ranges. Control drones can blanket areas with surveillance and drop ordnance of “test” enemy air defenses. 

Real-time connectivity between forward drones and an aerial “host” ship is a massive mission multiplier, and it would appear that Sweden is well evolved with this technology. 

JAS 39. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.