Why ‘Next-Gen’ Will Include Non-Stealth Fighters Plus

In February 2021, the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Chief of Staff, General Charles “CQ” Brown, revealed that the USAF will study the idea of developing a clean-sheet fourth-generation fighter to replace its F-16s.[1] Brown added that the Air Force will also consider new-build F-16s (e.g., the Block-70/72) to replace old versions.[2]

The main driver for the study is a revised look at an optimal fleet composition. The Air Force is seeking to build the “right force mix” comprising of “high-end” and “low-end” fighters.

The “high-end” will comprise of fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35, and the upcoming Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform.[3] The “low-end” is still an open question. The Air Force is interested in the value of an F-16-type aircraft, but not necessarily the F-16 itself.[4]

Thus, the study could potentially open the discussion to ‘next-generation’ fighters that do not emphasize low observability (LO) on radar as much as the F-22 or F-35. Interestingly, the U.S. is not the only country studying or working towards this concept. South Korea will soon fly its KF-21 Boramae and India is looking at developing its own carrier-capable jet, the Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF).

One could say that these fighters are not much different from existing 4.5-generation aircraft, such as the Rafale, Typhoon, or Gripen E/F. However, in contrast to older 4.5-generation fighters, these new platforms were designed to incorporate new technologies, such as active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radars and others, from the onset. In that sense, a ‘new’ 4.5-generation fighter is starting from a different league compared to its older counterparts. In fact, even the development process for these jets may be different.