The UK has ambitions to design their own sixth generation aircraft. Now, no matter your thoughts on the plausibility of their final efforts, they do have a serious advantage when it comes to jet propulsion (the country that invented it after all).
They can go with two options: the proposed Rolls Royce Embedded Electrical Starter Generator (E2SG) engine, of which is to power onboard direct energy weapons. Or, a Rolls Royce spin-off engineering team's efforts, the scram jet Sabre engine, which can theoretically reach above Mach 20 speeds in no atmosphere, or push right past Mach 5 (Hypersonic threshold) speeds in an atmosphere.
Which is more important to a sixth generation fighter when up against peer a nation(s). Will is be the SR-71's ability to not be touched i.e. speed of evasion, or to power directed energy weapons on demand, i.e. kinetic power ?
These questions assume that there will only be a single model built.
They can go with two options: the proposed Rolls Royce Embedded Electrical Starter Generator (E2SG) engine, of which is to power onboard direct energy weapons. Or, a Rolls Royce spin-off engineering team's efforts, the scram jet Sabre engine, which can theoretically reach above Mach 20 speeds in no atmosphere, or push right past Mach 5 (Hypersonic threshold) speeds in an atmosphere.
Which is more important to a sixth generation fighter when up against peer a nation(s). Will is be the SR-71's ability to not be touched i.e. speed of evasion, or to power directed energy weapons on demand, i.e. kinetic power ?
These questions assume that there will only be a single model built.