The Pentagon has been tracking Chinas 6th Gen program for years and has openly talked about it for some time. So it’s no surprise to them.
Kendall: Air Force’s next-gen fighter will be ‘better than anything’ China can produce
During an event hosted by the Center for American Progress think tank, Kendall was asked if the Chinese would outpace the U.S. in sixth-gen capabilities, as some observers question whether the Air Force and its industry partners can deliver its Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform before 2030.
“It’s an interesting question based on a premise that I don’t 100% accept here, but I’m not gonna be able to go into much detail about that,” Kendall responded.
“China has been pursuing aircraft technology, but they are not a match for the United States,” he continued. “We are ahead in aircraft technology. The J-20, which is their most recent fighter, is not as good as the F-35, which is our most recent fighter. The Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter … is going to be better than anything I think China can do. We’re ahead in areas like engine technology substantially. And our access to advanced computational capability gives us an edge as well.”
The Air Force plans to team its Next-Generation Air Dominance platform with robotic wingmen.
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