Recent discussions on the merits of, and problems with, the F-35 JSF, got me thinking about what would come after the JSF. Then, I found that the US Navy is actively looking at alternatives for a Sixth Gen fighter - so I decided to have a crack at it too !!
The result is the F/A - 37 Dragon Air Dominance Fighter. Designed to be a hyper agile combat aircraft, the F/A - 37 has forward swept wings, Thrust Vectoring Controls, and Lateral Manouvering Fins to allow sideways movement without banking. Preliminary tests suggests that the fighter is agile enough to dodge most known SAM weapons.
The aircraft is equipped with an advanced synthetic aperture AESA radar, allowing 360 degree coverage. The pilot lays in a sealed capsule, in a skintight full pressure suit. This is because the capsule is filled with a gel substance to allow the pilot to withstand high G-Forces. All instrumentation is represented in the pilots helmet display, and control is effected through two pressure sensitive sidesticks, and subvocalised commands to a sophisticated voice recognition system. The computer uses data from the aircrafts sensors to create an artificial view of the aircrafts surroundings, automatically highlighting targets, and hazards, giving the pilot unmatched situational awareness.
The pilots role , thanks to the advanced computer autopilot, is as a Battle Management Officer - picking the targets, and routes, and working with the computer to arrive at the best soloution to the mission.
The armament is no less top notch, with a built in Boeing Tactical High Energy Laser (T - HEL) faired into the underside of the fuselage, and a 20 shot retractable pod of radar guided Micro Missile Weapon System (MMWS) rockets as a backup to the laser system.
Seen here is the first pre-production aircraft,
