Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

spread of the Internet in China F -20 fighter photo

Zhuangao Xinhua (Xinhua military commentator Zheng Wenhao) from late 2010 to early 2011 period, almost all users of the weapon system’s attention is the so-called “fifth generation fighter” taken away. Photo of unknown origin has become increasingly clear, and even mobile phones have emerged online shooting video.

new aircraft is a very natural concern, but the formation of new combat aircraft fly overhead and even the last, a group of people is essential – they are five generations of fighter test pilot control.

1990 年 8 27, the fourth generation of U.S. Air Force (now known as the fifth-generation) fighters competitors, nicknamed “Black Widow-II” (Oh, there is also a “black”) The YF-23 aircraft for its first flight. This should be a sky of the world’s first fourth-generation fighter, is the famous chief test pilot Paul Luo Meici (Paul Metz). Paul Luo Meici, 1946 Born in 1968 to participate in the Air Force in Vietnam during the war he had been driving F-105G aircraft performed 68 missions. And domestic institutions are not the same, Paul Luo Meici the “test pilot” title is actually “Northrop’s engineering test pilot.” In other words, Paul Luo Meici retired in 1980 after joined the Northrop Corporation.

YF-23 “Black Widow-II” Although the competition lost YF-22 “Raptor”, but Paul Luo Meici story does not end, because he became a F-22 program The chief test pilot. September 7, 1997, Paul Luo Meici completed the F-22A’s first flight, and subsequently, he led the team in the F-22 flight test subsystem design, flying qualities, avionics, human-machine interface and other aspects of the building to do a significant contribution. Paul Luo Meici been great reputation, but also because he successfully achieved a top aviation from pilots to senior management changes, and later he became the F-35 program “Comprehensive testing and evaluation,” vice president, men who hold the 1600 The flight test team and over $ 700 million of capital. Can be said that the development of the world’s fourth-generation fighter in history, Paul Luo Meici is definitely a “have information” characters.

Anyway, Paul Luo Meici had from the YF-23 “Black Widow-II” test pilot into F-22 program’s chief test pilot, which means he was from Northrop Grumman about switched to Lockheed Martin. The original YF-22 Lockheed Martin’s chief test pilot project is 戴夫佛格森 (Dave Ferguson), is in his September 29, 1990 the first YF-22 took off driving. Logically speaking, 戴夫佛格森 as Lockheed Martin’s “insiders” should be the follow-up F-22 program’s chief test pilot. Why was replaced by Paul Luo Meici? Bet it was rumored that the two men, who lost on the project to other companies when the test pilot. But there are people that 戴夫佛格森 be won, because he was the YF-22 flight test of Unit 2 occurred belly landing responsible for the accident. Visible, even four generations of machines test pilot, not just with their honor and reputation, are also facing risks and challenges.

“Raptor” is already “completed”, the real development of four generations of machines to the world prosperity and confusion is the U.S. “JSF” project. The original F-22 with a “level with” and multi-national joint development, joint procurement projects with a total investment of hundreds of billions of dollars, known as the largest ever fighter program. Boeing and Lockheed Martin were to win this giant project, have resorted to every means. Boeing X-32A’s first flight was September 18, 2000, is the chief test pilot Alex Frye Watergate (Fred Knox); Lockheed Martin X-35′s first flight was October 24, 2000 , chief test pilot Tom Morgan Field (Tom Morgenfeld). Strange to say, two Lockheed Martin flight time must be later than the opponent, but the two Lockheed Martin can have the last laugh.

Lockheed Martin won the project, also won the company’s future development opportunities. F-35A’s first flight in December 15, 2006, is the chief test pilot Jon Beesley (Jon S. Beesley). Driving the first four generations of fighter who is not Jon Beasley, but his driving, but the world’s first stealth fighter people. Yes, F-117′s test pilot is his. As Lockheed Martin Skunk Works test pilot, Jon Beasley was not only the first F-22 program risky “flight envelope” test subjects, and is involved in a dozen models of aircraft, Lockheed Martin’s flight test work.

Throughout the United States, four generations of aircraft test pilot, fighter who characterized the experience of driving is very rich, largely driven the eight, nine models of aircraft, Jon Beasley, and even driving more than 50 different models of aircraft experience; and test them in the age of four generations of machines in general are over the age of 40, Beasley has 14 grandchildren, and still in the presence of F-35 program’s chief test pilot. Of course, now F-35 program by the pressure of public opinion in all aspects of very large, the rising cost of the F-35 original “cheap” slogan became a downright lie, and its exterior design and technical performance are frequent accusations. In fact, test pilot for the F-35 is the most qualified to speak, but only in the tight-lipped about the sensitive period.

competition in next-generation fighter, the Russian people do not mind lagging behind. Sukhoi pilots 塞尔格里博 Gedan (Sergey Bogdan) on January 29, 2010 driving T-50 aircraft flying 47 minutes, and successfully return to the ground. This proves that Russia would also like to prove their fifth-generation fighter in existence.

if other countries have to develop the fifth-generation fighter, who was to perform this historic first flight task?

answer eventually revealed.