“After a decade of development behind the veil of classified funding, America’s new air-superiority fighter, being developed within the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program currently remains on hold,” Alex Hollings, Sandboxx New’s Editor-in-Chief and host of AirPower on YouTube, said in a recent video.
Sandboxx News understands that the Air Force already has three prototypes in the works; these test aircraft have even set new performance records. However, cost remains a real concern for the Pentagon.
The Pentagon is currently conducting a budgetary review to determine the cost of the aircraft and where it fits in the U.S. military’s gargantuan needs. Although there isn’t a specific price tag as of now, Pentagon officials have circulated some numbers that could even reach the astronomical $300 million per aircraft.
The U.S. military expects at least two sixth-generation aircraft to result from the Air Force’s NGAD and the Navy’s F/A-XX projects. These aircraft will help ensure that America controls the skies in a future near-peer clash with China or Russia.
If you want to learn more about the NGAD and the issues it has to overcome before becoming the Air Force’s first sixth-generation fighter jet, make sure to watch AirPower’s recent video above.