The definition of fighter generations has long been subject to debate. However, most agree that the generations break down along these broad lines:
Generation 1: Jet propulsion (F-80, German Me 262).
Generation 2: Swept wings; range-only radar; infrared missiles (F-86, MiG-15).
Generation 3: Supersonic speed; pulse radar; able to shoot at targets beyond visual range (“Century Series” fighters such as F-105; F-4; MiG-17; MiG-21).
Generation 4: Pulse-doppler radar; high maneuverability; look-down, shoot-down missiles (F-15, F-16, Mirage 2000, MiG-29).
Generation 4+: High agility; sensor fusion; reduced signatures (Eurofighter Typhoon, Su-30, advanced versions of F-16 and F/A-18, Rafale).
Generation 4++: Active electronically scanned arrays; continued reduced signatures or some “active” (waveform canceling) stealth; some supercruise (Su-35, F-15SE).
Generation 5: All-aspect stealth with internal weapons, extreme agility, full-sensor fusion, integrated avionics, some or full supercruise (F-22, F-35).
Potential Generation 6:
extreme stealth; efficient in all flight regimes (subsonic to
multi-Mach); possible “morphing” capability; smart skins; highly
networked; extremely sensitive sensors; optionally manned; directed
energy weapons.
From
left to right, USAF fighter generations one through five, plus a
placeholder for generation six. *Illustrations not to scale. (Illustrations by Zaur Eylanbekov)
Aircraft
- South Korea
- KAI FA-50 (maiden flight in 2012)
[edit] Canceled aircraft
- Argentina
- FMA SAIA 90 (never built)
- France
- Dassault Mirage 4000 (maiden flight on 9 March 1979)
- Israel
- IAI Lavi (maiden flight on 31 December 1986)
- IAI Nammer (maiden flight on 21 March 1991)
- People's Republic of China
- Chengdu J-9 (never built)
- Shenyang J-13 (never built)
- South Africa
- Atlas Carver (never built)
- Russia - Soviet Union
- M-ATF (never built)
- Sukhoi Su-47 (maiden flight on 25 September 1997) (technology demonstrator)
- Yakovlev Yak-141 (maiden flight on 9 March 1987)/Yak-43 (never built)
- Yakovlev Yak-45 (never built)
- United Kingdom
- British Aerospace EAP (maiden flight on 8 August 1986) (technology demonstrator)
- United States
- Northrop YF-17 (maiden flight on 9 June 1974)
- Northrop F-20 Tigershark (maiden flight on 30 August 1982)
- Yugoslavia
In service
- United States
- Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor (187 aircraft total production)
[edit] In development
- India
- Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (under evaluation;[13] introduction planned for 2020.[50])
- Russia
- Sukhoi PAK FA (prototype's maiden flight on 29 January 2010; introduction planned for 2013[55])
- T-50K (Naval derivative of Sukhoi PAK FA, introduction planned for 2016 [56]
- Mikoyan LMFS[citation needed]
- Russia/ India
- Sukhoi/HAL FGFA (derivative of Sukhoi PAK FA; introduction planned for 2017)[57][58]
- United States/ United Kingdom/ Italy/ Netherlands/ Turkey/ Canada/ Australia/ Norway/ Denmark
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (maiden flight on 15 December 2006;[60] introduction planned for 2018[61])
See also
- Fourth generation jet fighter
- Sixth generation jet fighter