Summary and Key Points: The future of the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which was expected to include a sixth-generation manned fighter to replace the F-22 Raptor, remains uncertain. General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, head of Air Combat Command, stated there is currently no official replacement for the F-22 and emphasized ongoing upgrades for the jet.

-The potential high costs of the NGAD manned fighter, projected to be significantly higher than the F-35, have raised concerns.

-Additionally, rapid technological advancements pose a risk of the aircraft becoming outdated before reaching full-rate production. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, intended to operate alongside the manned fighters, may offer a more cost-effective solution.

-However, with only Boeing and Lockheed Martin remaining in the fighter plane business, the program faces significant challenges.

NGAD Program Faces Challenges: High Costs and Rapidly Advancing Tech

For months, years even, the United States Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) has been touted as a system that could include a sixth-generation manned combat aircraft that would replace the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. However, that might not be the case—at least not anymore.

"Right now, frankly, there isn't an F-22 replacement. The F-22 is a fantastic aircraft. We're actually planning several upgrades to the jet as we speak, and there is no official replacement to the F-22 right now," said General Kenneth S. Wilsbach, head of the Air Combat Command (ACC) on Wednesday during a Mitchell Institute Forum.

"As most everybody knows, we're in the source selection for the NGAD," Wilsbach added "And so it's not wise, and my lawyers have advised me not to talk too much about NGAD."

Yet, the general went on to say, "There's a lot of things that are not in the public sphere that we've been working on for a while, and we'll continue to expand that. The part of it is the CCA [Collaborative Combat Aircraft] that is in the public sphere."

This course correct from the United States Air Force comes as the potential price tag for the NGAD manned fighter program has been in the spotlight – with reports suggesting the aircraft could cost three times or more than the F-35. At the same time, the air service has acknowledged that technology is rapidly advancing and billions could be spent to develop an aircraft that might be outdated even before full-rate production is reached.

It is true that many current platforms have been steadily upgraded – and the B-52 is an example of an aircraft that could fly for a full century, while the F-15s and F-16s entering service are far from the same fighters that first took to the sky five decades ago. Yet, as has been seen with the F-35 Lightning II's Technology Refresh-3 (TR-3), the more advanced the aircraft is on arrival could make it all the harder to upgrade.

Is the NGAD Too Complicated?

The NGAD and other so-called "sixth-generation" technologies that are still being developed – including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced command, control and communications (C3) capabilities, data fusion, variable-cycle engines, and directed-energy weapons (DEWs) including laser close-in-weapons-systems (CIWS). Getting it right will be a challenge while getting it wrong will be an expensive misstep, as billions are being invested.

As noted, each NGAD manned fighter could carry a price tag in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and the Air Force is considering what could be modified to lower the costs without impacting the future aircraft's capabilities. It is also worth noting that the Pentagon must look to fewer competitors to produce the aircraft as only Boeing and Lockheed Martin are still in the fighter plane business – as Northrop Grumman has indicated it won't complete for the NGAD contract, and instead will remain focused on its B-21 Raider long-range strategic bomber.

One area where the costs could be better mitigated is with the CCA loyal wingmen drones that could operate alongside the sixth-generation fighter, as these would be far lower cost and while not entirely disposable, not meant to remain in service for decades to come.

As TheWarZone reported, "The future of the NGAD manned fighter program is increasingly murky," and Wilsbach's comments certainly didn't clear it up.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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