What is a nth Generation fighter?

Hi there,

Could anyone tell me examples of 1st..5th? generation fighters and
other planes and what seperates them? (Apart from time)

Thanks!

Could anyone tell me examples of 1st..5th? generation fighters and
other planes and what seperates them? (Apart from time)


Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming
mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Good reply, but I don't think I'd classify Mig-25 as 4th generation. Its
avionics and relatively primitive aerodynamics (I know, mach 2.8 - 3.2
primitive aero? Well, the X-2 was quite primitive too) don't match the 4th
Gen aircraft.

R / John

On 14 Dec 2003 15:02:22 GMT, (BUFDRVR) wrote:

Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series.

I'd put these all in the first generation, at least in their original
incarnation.

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

Second generation here.

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

Third generation, some upgraded to fourth.

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Fourth.

The system I'm accustomed to is based on the level of avionics and
flight control. First generation is the standard control system and
electro-mechanical FCS, with fairly basic avionics. Second generation
is more advanced integrated avionics, with analog feedback control
system, not just dampers. Third generation is integrated avionics.
LRUs, augmentation, HUD, fadec or equivalent. Fourth generation is
heavy augmentation (probably digital) and FBW, highly integrated
avionics that can used inputs from other sources, HMS, and so on.

I think this is biased in favor of the Western generations and it's
not really about the airframe, except perhaps low observables. It's
pretty much what was used contemporaneously (well, not with the first
generation, of course) in the business.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer

"Mary Shafer" wrote in message
...
On 14 Dec 2003 15:02:22 GMT, (BUFDRVR) wrote:

Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming
mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series.

I'd put these all in the first generation, at least in their original
incarnation.

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

Second generation here.

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

Third generation, some upgraded to fourth.

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Fourth.

The system I'm accustomed to is based on the level of avionics and
flight control. First generation is the standard control system and
electro-mechanical FCS, with fairly basic avionics. Second generation
is more advanced integrated avionics, with analog feedback control
system, not just dampers. Third generation is integrated avionics.
LRUs, augmentation, HUD, fadec or equivalent. Fourth generation is
heavy augmentation (probably digital) and FBW, highly integrated
avionics that can used inputs from other sources, HMS, and so on.

I think this is biased in favor of the Western generations and it's
not really about the airframe, except perhaps low observables. It's
pretty much what was used contemporaneously (well, not with the first
generation, of course) in the business.

Then does that mean that the F-18E is fourth generation, while her analog
cousins are third?

"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...
Could anyone tell me examples of 1st..5th? generation fighters and
other planes and what seperates them? (Apart from time)


Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming
mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

I believe you'd want to move the Mig-19 to the next category--it was IIRC
"early supersonic" on the Soviet side, generally comparable to the F-100.


2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Not sure how universaly accepted that is. I thought there was a lot of
hoopla a couple of years back about the JAS-39 being (at least claimed to
be) the "first" fourth generation fighter to enter service, with the F/A-22,
F-35, Rafael, and Eurofighter being lumped into that category as well?

Brooks




BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it
harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

(BUFDRVR) wrote in message ...
Could anyone tell me examples of 1st..5th? generation fighters and
other planes and what seperates them? (Apart from time)


Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

2nd Generation (early supersonic)- MiG-21 or Century Series

3rd Generation (advanced supersonic) - MiG-23 or F-4

4th Generation ("next generation") - MiG-25, 29, 31, Su-27 or F-14,15,16

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Thanks a lot!

Tom
BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

(BUFDRVR) wrote in message ...
Could anyone tell me examples of 1st..5th? generation fighters and
other planes and what seperates them? (Apart from time)


Good question, and one I asked an intel officer shortly after becoming mission
qualified in the BUFF. Here's the way he layed it out:

1st Generation (early jet fighter) - MiG-15,17,19 or F-84, F-86

(snip)

Surely the first generation of jet fighters would have been the Lockheed
P-80, Gloster Meteor, Me. 263 and others of the same vintage.

Howard Austin

5th Generation (???) - MiG 1.42, Su-30 series or FA/22, F-35

Fourth.

Hmmm, okay Mary what would a 5th Generation fighter be? They are using that
term fairly regularly when discussing the Su-30 family.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

Good reply, but I don't think I'd classify Mig-25 as 4th generation.

I may have catagorized that one incorrectly, but I though it was considered the
same generation as the F-15?


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"