US Air Force has secretly built and flown a full-scale prototype of its future combat aircraft

US Air Force has secretly built and flown a full-scale prototype of its future combat aircraft.

The US Air Force secretly built and flew a prototype of a new fighter jet developed as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, according to Defense News.

Will Roper, the Air Force's top acquisition official, told Defense News that the service has "already built and flown a full-scale flight demonstrator in the real world" and "We are ready to go and build the next-generation aircraft in a way that has never happened before."

This revelation may be surprising, but it is likely meant to send a message from the United States to its main opponents like Russia and China.

Roper declined to share more details about the mysterious new/sixth-gen aircraft such as the contractors involved in the project or when it is expected to enter service.

Not even details about its performance and features have been revealed, but according to the Air Force budget document something more can be guessed. The purpose of the Air Force's NGAD program is to develop an advanced fighter jet featuring "enhancements in survivability, lethality, and persistence across a range of military operations" that can deliver "Air Superiority for the Joint Force in the most challenging of environments."

The Air Force's Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal for Congress includes a request for just over $1 billion for the program and plans to request over $6 billion between this next fiscal year and 2025.

Written by Matteo Sanzani

Image: Lockheed Martin