Air Force to Pick NGAD 6th-Gen Stealth Fighter Designer “Next Year”

By Maya Carlin, Warrior Contributor

(Washington DC) The U.S. Air Force revealed in May that the lead designer and developer of the service’s highly anticipated Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program will be selected next year.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall further noted there will be continuous competition to supply the new program’s systems after the main developer is chosen.

The next-generation NGAD fighter will replace the widely revered F-22 Raptor.

It is expected to fly alongside AI-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles. The NGAD program is meant to operate as a so-called family of systems.

Next-Generation Competition Heats Up

When the Raptor debuted, it was lightyears ahead of any other fighter in stealth and sheer capability.

However, more than a quarter of a century has passed since the F-22 first took to the skies, and other nations are starting to catch up.

Specifically, China and Russia both claim to fly equally formidable fifth-generation platforms, the J-20 Chengdu and the Su-57.