The US Air Force has revealed more on its sixth generation fighter jet, the centre-piece of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) system.
The jet, which is poised to replace the F-22 Raptor, will be a multirole fighter, according to USAF chief of staff, General Charles Q. Brown Jr at a House Armed Services Committee.
The air force boss, testifying on the fiscal 2022 budget request yesterday, said the fighter jet’s primary role will be air dominance, but will be able to strike ground targets as well.
The sixth generation fighter will have “some air-to-ground capability to ensure, one, that it can survive, but also to provide options for our air component commanders and for the Joint Force.”
Brown also said the NGAD fighter will have increased range and weapons load compared to the F-22, which will allow it to operate at the great distances required in the Indo-Pacific region.