Question:
J-10 took first flight in 1998, J-20 took first flight in 2011?
anonymous
2011-12-27 07:32:18 UTC
It takes China 13 years to develop a 4th generation jet fighter to 5th generation jet fighter....

F-16 takes first flight in 1974, F-22 take first flight in 1997....It takes US 23 years to develop a 5th generation jet fighter...

Of course...China is booming in economy recently...this is no wonder.....
Six answers:
Vincent G
2011-12-27 12:39:50 UTC
There is one thing you got somewhat wrong.

The YF-22 first flew in 1990. Not only was there a 5th generation prototype airframe (actually, there were two YF-22, one with Pratt engines, one with GE), there was yet another 5th generation fighter prototype competing with it, the YF-23 (also built in 2 version, with PW and GE engines) in 1990.

After that, there was the very long and politically loaded process of deciding how many aircraft to procure, what bells and whistles would be required, desired, or considered too expensive, and so on.

Do not mistake an engineering process for the political mess that followed.



At present, what a 6th generation will be is fuzzy, how can we reliably anticipate the technological developments (capabilities) and the future requirements (demands)?

Are planes going to still be manned? From the 4th generation onward, we already saw plane that were limited by what the pilot could endure; remove the weakest link and planes that could have higher than 9 g sustained turn rate become possible.

All we know is that a 6th generation is going to be formidably expensive.

Look at the production volume for the following first line air superiority fighters:

F-15: more than 1000

F-22: 187



Will the 6th generation be something built in less than 30 units, which will be kept on the ground, in armored concrete bunkers because they are too valuable to risk flying in combat?



As to when, we know that the last F-22 just went out of the assembly lane. A fighter airplane is worn out after 25 years or so -- one can make them last longer if one does not fly them, but what is the point of having them is one is not flying them? This means the F-22 will start being retired in 2030. Which means the work (specification, first concept proposals) on a replacement will have to start about 5 years from now at the latest, so that it can start flying in prototype form in 2025.
Mark F
2011-12-27 22:26:05 UTC
4th and 5th generation are marketing terms - don't get too hung up on them. I also don't see your point about timelines. Besides your timelines being wrong (the YF-22 prototype flew in 1990, the production F-22 flew in 97') they don't mean anything.
JetDoc
2011-12-27 15:38:37 UTC
And why should anyone care? Do we really NEED to spend billions of dollars on a new jet fighter? Who are we fighting against?
- Petit Fantôme Aimé ♐ -
2011-12-28 05:39:44 UTC
Watch this video for US 6th generation concept jet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqi_5GRRYMY



Boeing's 6th generation Fighter Concept video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fQYWKbnJII



And this video for Russian 6th generation concept jet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ2FN3A12do&feature=related



Wow... Smart phones fly mini drones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN-X7JG5bgU



This video is about Japan build stealth fighter jet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbFmF_Ill0Y&feature=related
lana_sands
2011-12-27 17:37:18 UTC
It does not work the way your thinking. Development is based things other than a clock.
anonymous
2011-12-27 15:40:07 UTC
Stop worrying about China attacking USA - They already own it...!


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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