Defense Officials Warn Against Blurring Lines of Fourth- And
Fifth-Generation Fighters
Defense Daily, March 13, 2007
By Michael Sirak
"The F-22 and F-35, the world's first two 'fifth-generation' fighter aircraft in production, possess a unique combination of attributes, such as detection-evading airframes, that sets them apart from the previous era of fourth-generation, less-capable platforms, according to two U.S. defense officials.
And no amount of modern upgrades to the latter class of aircraft, which includes the U.S.-built F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 as well as foreign platforms like the French Mirage 2000- 5, will give them an equal level of combat prowess or rightfully place them in the same category, they argue.
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Dr Carlo Kopp, MIEEE, SMAIAA, PEng
Defence Analyst and Consulting Engineer
Editor: Air Power Australia @ http://www.ausairpower.net
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