Other countries have joined collaborative multinational projects, such as Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom with Global Combat Air Programme, and France, Germany, and Spain with FCAS in order to spread development and procurement costs.
The flexibility to undertake manned and unmanned missions is also sought, along with the ability to integrate with more numerous fleets of satellite drones and ground sensors in a high-traffic networked environment to deliver full data-to-decision (D2D) capability.
In January 2019, Dr. Wang Haifeng, chief designer of the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) announced that China had begun pre-research on sixth-generation aircraft, predicting that the program would come to fruition by 2035.
[12] In September 2022, United States Air Force (USAF) General Mark D. Kelly, head of the Air Combat Command (ACC) suggested China was on track for its six-generation fighter program, and he believed the Chinese design uses a ‘system of systems’ approach while offering “exponential” improvements in stealth, processing power, and sensing.
[10][13] In February 2023, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) shared its six-generation fighter aircraft concept on social media.
The featured concept included diamond-shaped wings and tailless design,[14] which correlated with earlier images released in various AVIC presentations.
[28] On the same day, further social media posts indicated a second airframe, featuring a cranked arrow configuration with sharply swept wings, was spotted near Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's facilities.
[51][52] The USN is pursuing a similar program using the same name with the fighter component called the F/A-XX, likewise intended to complement the smaller Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II and replace existing aircraft such as the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
[60] In 2014, a broader approach to offensive technologies was proposed, with USAF aircraft anticipated to operate alongside ground-based and non-kinetic anti-aircraft solutions, and with a greater weapon load than current fighters.
[61] In 2016, the USAF consolidated this change of course for its Air Superiority 2030 plan, to pursue "a network of integrated systems disaggregated across multiple platforms" rather than focusing on the sixth-generation fighter.
[62] The Air Force and Navy requirements had already been merged the year before and were now formally integrated, with the joint focus to be on AI systems and a common airframe.
[64][65][66] On September 14, 2020, the USAF announced that a prototype aircraft component of the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program had flown for the first time.
6th-gen combat awareness will require a theater-wide integration of diverse systems beginning with the primary airborne sensory suite and further including real-time data linking of ground-based detection and ranging technology with sensors aboard primary and support aircraft, advanced communication capabilities, unparalleled capacity for continuous onboard info-stream processing utilizing AI for real-time data translation and rendering geared toward optimizing pilot situational awareness while reducing workload, potential near-space capabilities, extension of existing strike/standoff ranges, seamless co-operation with ground-to air defense assets and the ability to deploy aircraft in manned, optionally manned, unmanned and stand-in options.
With the increase of air defense systems using electronic and infrared sensors and high-speed weapons, traditional designs relying on small size, high speed, and maneuverability may be less relevant and easier to intercept.
As a result, the CSBA suggests building a fighter significantly larger relying on enhanced sensors, signature control, networked situational awareness, and very-long-range weapons to complete engagements before being detected or tracked.
The concept of a small number of large, intercontinental and heavily armed combat aircraft could link itself to the development of the Long Range Strike Bomber.
[72] In November 2016, the USAF Scientific Advisory Board announced studies for a Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) platform that would combine long range, supersonic speed, stealth and maneuverability; and be fielded by 2030.
[73] PCA would have substantially longer range to fly long distances over the Pacific, especially in a situation where airbases in the vicinity of China are not available[74] or if aerial tankers are destroyed.
In November 2013, the Air Force Research Laboratory released a request for information (RFI) for submissions with detailed descriptions in a militarily useful configuration, potential problems and solutions, and cost estimates.
[81][82] On 22 October 2021, Bhadauria's successor Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari said India's fifth-generation AMCA, which was then under development, would have some sixth-generation technologies.