So to clarify: At the beginning of the year Lockheed-Martin distributed copies of its 2012 calendar to media friends. The accompanying eye-candy included the aircraft seen below. It’s not quite an F22, definitely not an F35…in fact, it’s a whole new beast. But hold on, because it isn’t taking to the skies until 2030. That’s just 18 years from now. A lot can happen in 18 years.
Judging by the title for this post, it is rather early to let concepts such as this among the public. It’s especially distasteful in light of what a continuous fiasco the super-expensive F35 program has become.
Alas, the so-called ‘Miss February’ (corresponds to the month of the year), is being touted as a replacement for the F22. Such a shame really, because the F22 should be the frontline aerial badass defensidng US airspace. That was its destiny until then Defense Secretary Robert Gates nipped it at just a few hundred aircraft to be augmented by a huge fleet of F35.
Anyway, since it’s a concept there are no specs available though some of its projected capabilities include ‘all-around’ situational awareness and even ‘self-healing’ (!).
Source Flight Global
Filed Under: Concepts & Design, Geeky Stuff