The Hidden Engineering Problem Facing Every 6th - Generation Fighter Program

It's not stealth or speed that is the largest technological hurdle to the first sixth-generation fighters yet entering service, but rather thermodynamics. The incredibly high electrical power needs of the powerplants and electronic systems on board next-gen fighter jets will require an enormous amount of electricity generation, which comes with a lot of heat. These aircraft are expected to feature stunning leaps in technology, drone interoperability, and even directed energy weapons, better known as lasers. The Chinese defense industry was the first to fly working prototypes, but since then, the apparent progress has been slow-going, with the primary hurdle expected to be the powerplants. Meanwhile, the US is finally taking steps towards an airworthy example, but the first airframe is not expected to take off until 2028. The Future Combat Air System program has all but dissolved, but Europe's Global Combat Air Program is on track to succeed where FCAS failed. Yet all of…