Advances in stealth, range expected under NGAD

Marina Malenic, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
30 August 2016

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Artist's conception of sea-based version of Northrop Grumman's NGAD aircraft. The technology, expected as a follow-on for USAF and USN legacy combat aircraft, will emphasise stealth and range. Source: Northrop Grumman

Key Points

• NGAD will include improvements to legacy combat aircrafts' low-observable capability and range
• Stealth would be improved by reducing observability of aircraft at more frequencies, while greater range could be achieved with penetrating aerial refuelling capability

The Pentagon's next-generation air dominance (NGAD) effort to develop follow-on technologies to the US Air Force's (USAF's) and US Navy's (USN's) Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and the USN's Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet is taking shape and will include improvements to low-observable capability and aircraft range, according to the service's top scientific research and technology official.

The USAF in May released its "Air Superiority 2030 Flight Plan" announcing that it would rapidly develop a programme that mates cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and even space capabilities to advance the state of the art in air-to-air and air-to-ground warfare. While the new programme is expected to harness disparate capabilities, NGAD is defined by improvements in two key areas - stealth and range - according to USAF chief scientist Greg Zacharias.

"I think stealth is a key issue at more frequencies than we have it now," Zacharias told IHS Jane's on 19 August. "And I think range is the other one." He added that one means of achieving greater range could be the development of penetrating aerial refuelling capability. "If I can get a tanker to fuel closer into an [anti-access/area denial] A2/AD environment, it might be more important to get the tanker protected" from advanced air defence systems, he said. "If you can get a tanker closer in, you don't need as much range on the aircraft. I think strategists are looking at a more holistic solution. Maybe I don't need a fighter with big tanks on it, maybe I need tanker."

The description bears a striking resemblance to the USN's about-face on its Unmanned Carrier-Launched Aerial Surveillance and Strike system

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