Key Points and Summary: With the 6th-generation NGAD fighter facing delays and budget questions, the U.S. is pivoting to “Super” F-22 and F-35 upgrades of its existing stealth fleet.
-The “Super” F-22: A major structural refresh featuring new stealth materials, powerful onboard processors, and NGAD-derived electronic warfare systems to extend the Raptor’s dominance for decades.
An F-35 Lightning II connects to a KC-10 Extender fuel injection arm to refuel during an aerial training mission, during Operation Astral Knight 19 over the Adriatic Sea, June 3, 2019.