Headquarters U.S.
Air Force
Integrity - Service - Excellence
5 th Generation Fighters
Lt Gen Hawk Carlisle
AF / A3/5
UNCLASSIFIED
21 Years Ago Today
UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence 2
USAF Fighter Generations
A Historical Perspective
Core Competencies of our fighter fleet not new
Air Superiority – allows Freedom of Maneuver / Action for our
forces while denying potential adversaries the same
Global Precision Attack – hold any target at risk -- in the air, on
the sea, or on the ground
Continuing cycle of new capability development to
counter denied airspace, protect our forces and Nation
Threat Environment we are / will be faced with
Advanced fighters with capabilities on par with our 4th Gen fleet
Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems -- better
detection, greater range, increased lethality
Integrated Air Defense Systems designed to deny access
Proliferated world-wide, and growing in complexity / ability
Our AF must keep evolving to meet these challenges
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UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence
Air Force Generations of
Key Fighter Aircraft
c.1945-1955 c.1955-1960 c.1960-1970 c.1970-2000 c.2000+
F-22A
• Sophisticated
Avionics
• Improved Precision
• Multi-Role F-35A
• Improved Avionics
F-15E
• Supersonic MiG-29
• On-Board Radar F-4E
• First Guided Air- • Fully Integrated
to-Air Missiles Avionics & Sensors
• Greater Speed &
MiG-23
F-106 • Enhanced Radar Maneuverability
• Turbojet Engines • Improved • All-Aspect,
Maneuverability Day/Night Low-
• First Low- Observable (F-22)
MiG-21 Observable (F-117) • Network Centric
F-86
• First Precision
Munitions
US: F-14, F-15A/C/E, F-16, Operational
MiG-15
F/A-18C/E/F, F-117 US: F-22A
Soviet/Russian: MiG-29/31,
US: F-111, F-4, F-5 Su-27/30/33/35 Development
US: F-100, F-101, F-102, Soviet: MiG-23/25/27, Europe: Mirage 2000, US: F-35A/B/C
US: P-80, F-84, F-86, FH-1, F-104, F-105, F-106 Su-17/20/22 Tornado, Rafale, Gripen, Russian: PAK-FA
FJ, F-2H, F-3H, F-9F Soviet: MiG-19/21 Europe: Mirage F-1 Eurofighter-Typhoon China: J-20
Soviet: MiG-15/17 China: J-7 China: J-8 China: J-9, J-10, FC-1
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UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence
Key Attributes of 5th Gen Fighters
Stealth
Minimize susceptibility to SAMs
Engage air threats before detection
Maneuverability
Survive SAM engagements
Maintain parity / dominate Air-to-Air and
Air-to-Ground engagements
Multi-Role
Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground
Aircraft “exclusive domains” defined by
areas of optimized performance and
unique capabilities
Fused Sensors & Avionics
Synergistic integration of information
5th Gen Fighters provide Air Superiority and Global Precision Attack
against today’s -- and tomorrow’s -- air and ground threats
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Prevent Hollow Force
Hollow Force
Readiness
Force
Modernization Structure
Future Viability Strategy Mismatch
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Why Stealth?
Surface Threats to 4th Gen 5th Gen Exposure
4th Gen Exposure
Minimize exposure & susceptibility to
advanced SAMs
Air Threats to Current Capabilities
Legacy and 5th Gen vs. Su-30
Su-30 on par with F-15/F-16/F-18
5th Gen fighters superior to Su-30
4th Gen AMRAAM AA-12 Su-30
Legacy fighter – Engaged in war of attrition
5th Gen AMRAAM Su-30
5th Gen provides 1st shot opportunity
Allows us to Hold enemy targets at risk,
Gives us First Look, First Shot, First Kill advantage
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5th Generation Fusion
4th Gen – Little to no interaction between sensors
vs.
5th Gen – Sensors collaborate displaying fused information
Legacy F-22 & F-35
Tactical Situation
Display
EW
RASTE
R
OFF OFF BRT CTRS
REL SAFE
COMBA NIGHT
RET T SEL
PLN AA DAY
FF JETT
AG
RADAR
OFF OFF SAFESAFE
REL REL NIGHT
NIGHT BRT BRT
CTRSCTRS
PLN PLN DAY DAY
FF FF A/G A/G
UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence 8
Mission Domains
Air-to-Air F-22
Optimized for Air
Dominance
-Obtain and Maintain Access
Uncompromised A/A
-Counter Advanced Air performance
F-22
Threats
F-35
-Maintain Access Multi-Role Design
-Air-to-Air & precise Strategic and Tactical
Air-to-Ground SEAD / DEAD
capability Offensive and
Defensive Counter Air
F-35
Strategic Attack /
-Persistent Force Interdiction
-More Flexibility for Close Air Support
Air-to-Ground
Air-to-Ground Missions
UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence 9
F-22 and F-35A Overview
F-22 F-35A
F-22
Unmatched speed, altitude, and
maneuverability
Gain and maintain Air Superiority Unrefueled
Sub-Sonic
540 NM 590 NM
Combat
Radius
F-35A (USAF) 1.5 Mach Employment 0.95 Mach
Speed
Multi-spectral sensors and flexible Air- (2.0 Dash) (1.6 Dash)
to-Ground payload Employment
50,000’+ 35,000’+
Altitude
Lethal and precise Global Attack
70,000 lbs Thrust 40,000 lbs
18,030 lbs Fuel 18,480 lbs
A/G + A/A
A/A + A/G
Weapons Internal and
Internal Only
External
Planned mix of enabling and complementary capabilities to
support the National Military Strategy
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Multi-Role Weapons Comparison
BLOCK 35 BLOCK 3F
Capacity 2,500 lbs 5,000 lbs 5,000 lbs 2,500 lbs
AIM-9X AIM-9X
AIM-120 AIM-120
SDB SDB
1K JDAM
2K JDAM
Internal
(Combat Only)
GBU-12
Gun: 20 mm
480 rounds
External Internal External
Gun: 25 mm
182 rounds (CTOL)
Block 3F Certified Weapons
Note: F-35 designed with 6 external hard-points
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F-22 Optimized for Air Superiority
The F-22’s ability to rapidly accelerate, supercruise, fly higher, and
internally carry twice the air-to-air ordnance of an F-35A optimizes the
F-22 in the air-to-air role
Air-to-Air Coverage Area
100nm 65nm
120nm 100nm
With 2x more internal AIM-120s than F-35 and F-22’s
superior speed, F-22 is more capable in an air-to-air role
UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence 12
F-35 Optimized for
Global Precision Attack
With its multi-spectral active, passive & IR sensors, and
increased payload, the F-35 is more capable in AG role
Active Infrared
Electronically
Scanned Array
Search and
Active
Electronically (AESA) Track (IRST)
Scanned Array Air to Air Capability
(AESA) With robust Counter
Air to Air Capability DRFM
Specifications
Synthetic Electronic Synthetic Electronic Distributed
Aperture Support Aperture Support Aperture
Radar Measures Radar Measures System
(SAR) (ESM) (SAR) (ESM) (DAS) IR
E E
With
W W
ATC/ATR
Ground Moving Electro-Optical
Target Indication Targeting System
(EOTS) IR
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Summary
Complementary mix of 5th Gen Fighter
capabilities required for 21st century threat s
F-22 delivers “Air Superiority”
Production complete; forward deployed today
Modernization plan to increase lethality &
survivability
F-35 delivers “Global Precision Attack”
Still in development, initial first few fielded
Delivers Joint and Coalition capabilities
Synergy – both leverage other’s technology
Common domain provides flexible, lethal and
survivable force
Critical mass of both required
F-22A and F-35A ensure Joint Air Superiority and Global Precision
Attack for the Joint Force – today and tomorrow
UNCLASSIFIED Integrity - Service - Excellence 14
