Summary: Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin has suggested a shift away from the costly, long-lasting fighter programs like the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter in favor of more adaptable, smaller, and cheaper modular aircraft.

-This approach, inspired by the success of the F-16 in the Lightweight Fighter Program, would prioritize open-system architectures that allow for easier upgrades and reduced sustainment costs over time.

-The idea echoes previous proposals, such as the "Digital Century Series," aiming to shorten development cycles and ensure that fighters remain relevant in an ever-changing battlefield.

-However, transitioning to this model poses significant political and industrial challenges.

Some senior Air Force officials are now pointing toward a dramatic shift in America’s next stealth fighter program, with high-cost and high-capability platforms like the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter in development potentially shelved in favor of smaller, lighter, and cheaper aircraft built to adapt to new challenges over time.

This “light fighter” concept was brought to the forefront of discussions about the future of American airpower by Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin at the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference by the UK’s Air and Space Power Association in London late in July 20

24, and was first brought to our attention by journalist Parth Satam at The Aviationist.

During his presentation, General Allvin proposed a significant shift in America’s developmental approach to fielding new fighters, doing away with the longstanding “built to last” design approach that’s predicated on fielding advanced and supremely expensive new fighters meant to operate for a half-century or more. Instead, Allvin suggested, new fighter designs should be “built to adapt,” shifting focus away from long-term survivability and instead toward highly modular designs that can be quickly and easily modified to meet the ever-shifting challenges of the 21st-century battlefield.

Although Allvin did not mention the NGAD program in his remarks, these statements echo those made by others about the new air superiority fighter effort being placed in a strategic pause as the Air Force considers significant revisions to its design and operating model.

The “light fighter” versus “heavy fighter” nomenclature that’s been attributed to Allvin’s concept (he notably didn’t use the terminology himself) is reminiscent of the Lightweight Fighter........

© The National Interest