A year after Russia unveiled its T-50 stealth fighter—and less than a month after China flew its own J-20 stealthy prototype—the Air Force Fiscal 2012 budget plan contains no new program to pursue a sixth generation fighter. Air Combat Command officials have said they will wrap up an analysis of alternatives soon on what technologies a sixth generation fighter would need to have, and when it would need to appear. In recent weeks Air Force and Pentagon officials have downplayed the J-20, suggesting that China has a lot of development work to do before attaining a true stealth operational capability. They have pointedly not commented on the T-50’s potential operational status.
Upon assuming his new post, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Wolfe prioritized high standards while pledging to ensure Airmen, of all specialties, get the equipment they need to project U.S. airpower.
