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[RedhillPhil]

I see from the write-up that the F-35 is described as "fifth generation". What does that mean and what were examples of first, second, third et al?

[MAINJAFAD]

Originally Posted by RedhillPhil

I see from the write-up that the F-35 is described as "fifth generation". What does that mean and what were examples of first, second, third et al?

As regards the RAF

1st Gen - Early jet aircraft armed only with Cannon or MG's / supersonic in a dive - Meteor/Vampire/F86/Swift/Hunter
2nd Gen - Aircraft designed to use IR AAM as primary armament and/or supersonic in level flight - Lightning
3rd Gen - Swing role / Radar guided MRAAM - Phantom FGR2
4th Gen - Swing Wing / Analogue FBW / Pulse Doppler radar - Tornado F3
4.5 Gen - Digital FBW / high maneuverability - Typhoon
5th Gen - Stealth and data fusion - F35

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks Beagle - actually I hadn't a clue what "standing up" meant in this context. Does this mean squadrons now "lie down" when they are disbanded?

[Martin the Martian]

They stand down, of course. Therefore, as you would expect for anything military, there is a lot of standing to be done.

[RedhillPhil]

Originally Posted by MAINJAFAD

As regards the RAF

1st Gen - Early jet aircraft armed only with Cannon or MG's / supersonic in a dive - Meteor/Vampire/F86/Swift/Hunter
2nd Gen - Aircraft designed to use IR AAM as primary armament and/or supersonic in level flight - Lightning
3rd Gen - Swing role / Radar guided MRAAM - Phantom FGR2
4th Gen - Swing Wing / Analogue FBW / Pulse Doppler radar - Tornado F3
4.5 Gen - Digital FBW / high maneuverability - Typhoon
5th Gen - Stealth and data fusion - F35

Thankyou.
.........................

[langleybaston]

Originally Posted by Tankertrashnav

Thanks Beagle - actually I hadn't a clue what "standing up" meant in this context. Does this mean squadrons now "lie down" when they are disbanded?

and then there is an honour guard ........................

[Pure Pursuit]

Originally Posted by MAINJAFAD

As regards the RAF

1st Gen - Early jet aircraft armed only with Cannon or MG's / supersonic in a dive - Meteor/Vampire/F86/Swift/Hunter
2nd Gen - Aircraft designed to use IR AAM as primary armament and/or supersonic in level flight - Lightning
3rd Gen - Swing role / Radar guided MRAAM - Phantom FGR2
4th Gen - Swing Wing / Analogue FBW / Pulse Doppler radar - Tornado F3
4.5 Gen - Digital FBW / high maneuverability - Typhoon
5th Gen - Stealth and data fusion - F35

Sorry mainjafad but, that’s complete hoop with regards to 4.5 Gen. Agility has nothing to do with it at all.

Typhoon does not have AESA, amongst other things, and is very firmly 4th Gen.

[Easy Street]

"Swing wing" is definitely not a 4th gen characteristic either. It's a 1950s concept that became technically possible in the 60s and featured heavily in the 70s.

[Finningley Boy]

Originally Posted by Easy Street

"Swing wing" is definitely not a 4th gen characteristic either. It's a 1950s concept that became technically possible in the 60s and featured heavily in the 70s.

I always thought the Hunter and Javelin were opposite ends of the 2nd generation, the first generation I always imagined ended with Meteor and Venom NFs and that the Lightning and F-4 Phantom II were both third generation, Lightning being at the start along with the likes of the F-104, Mirage III and J-35 Draken. Tornado, Mirage 2000, F-18, F-15 and F-16 were then 4th generation while the F-18E/F, Rafale, Gripen and Typhoon and, I suppose; F-22 are all between stools as the 4.5 generation. As for standing up and down, I believe this to be a further corruption of English terminology as originates from the British Isles with Americanization of English, which many British people, the younger the more likely, tend to adopted. American culture is very much confused as British culture now. This is why Simon Cowell, or whoever it was, thought Boot Camp rather than 'Square Bashing' was a more widely accepted term for the X Factor!

FB

[jindabyne]

Pure Pursuit

A bit harsh, and inaccurate. Finningley Boy sums things up correctly.

I was attempting to flog Typhoon in the late nineties when the terms 4th and fifth generation became increasingly and loosely used - with no specific definition; which aroused a deal of uninformed debate! Typhoon is most certainly 4.5

[Bruggen 130]

radar

Originally Posted by Pure Pursuit

Sorry mainjafad but, that’s complete hoop with regards to 4.5 Gen. Agility has nothing to do with it at all.

Typhoon does not have AESA, amongst other things, and is very firmly 4th Gen.

I think it does or it's in the pipeline.

[Snafu351]

The generations thing is mainly a marketing tool. There is some validity to it but very little.