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Sixth-gen fighter takes shape and edges closer to takeoff
One of the world's first sixth-generation fighters has moved closer to its first flight, as BAE Systems unveils the prototype Combat Air Flying Demonstrator, now under construction for the Global Combat Air Programme by Britain, Italy, and Japan.
Until now, we've had to rely on artist's concepts and mock ups of the final Tempest fighter, but the release of the admittedly unadorned rendering of the demonstrator and of the actual airframe on the factory floor provide the first concrete idea of the finished product. The expected end result will be a pilot-optional fighter with twice the payload of the F-35A and enough range to carry out transatlantic flights without refueling for an engine that has enough surplus electrical generating capacity to handle energy weapons and hypersonic launchers. "The program is accelerating the development of advanced design approaches and manufacturing techniques, helping to sharpen the UK’s industrial edge and deliver benefits beyond the production of the aircraft.
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