Expert: Ismar Avdic, Eng. - 1/21/2011

Question
Hey Ismar,

        As the subject line states, I have a query regarding the future of military jet fighters, but first a little context.

I'm a screenwriter who has recently been pitched an idea to recreate the feel of Top Gun, but with a Futuristic slant. The Producer pitches it as space-age military fighter jets waging a world war on earth in the not too distant future (say 2030-50).

So, taking that date into account, my question pertains essentially to what military craft will be like. Will they have managed to go hypersonic or able to drift in and out of the atmosphere like scramjet? Is there any point in the application of hypersonics to military craft if it means the ship can't turn on a sixpence? Would stealth technology be employed?  etc etc.

I want to stress there is a fair amount of artistic lisence here, so whilst examples of actual crafts being developed would be great, equally it could be what you forsee as being viable based on current technological trends. My thought process is that I'm looking for crafts that are highly manoueverable. Light weight jets. Maybe with the ability to hover and strafe. Anything that could believably be the future of fighter jets. Including what the onboard weaponry might be like by 2030-2050.

As an extension of that, I have this idea that the crafts could be DNA linked to their pilot. That only he can fly them and that it utilizes biotechnology to enable him to pilot with his mind. Obviously this is pretty advanced for 2050, but as I said there is a fair amount of artistic liscence involved. So that could be factored in should you go down the hypothetical route of estimating what fighter jets might be like.

But to be honest any help would be gratefully received. Thankin' you in advance.

regards

Alex

Answer
Hi Alex,
Your question requires an extended answer. So I will inshort try to pint you in an direction where you can search on Google.
Stealth technology military aircraft are thing of today, as materials design progressing, military trying to incorporate new technologies into new fighters. As of today we do have highly stealth aircraft unmanned that are operating on hydrogen cell technology motor that can stay close to 7-10 days in air without landing. In fact unmanned aircraft almost getting reallyt strong push for complete applications on battle field and replacing military fighters, finally they are cheaper and easier to loose in battle. Development of avionics today is so high that an terrain picture and contours are displayed on MFD (multi factional displays) in cockpit in 3D, so in reality you do not have to watch through window or sometimes you simple have obstructed view due to weather, sand dast, mist and so on. With those technologies you can see through it as if you would watching an 3D game terrain features. Improvement in avionics technologies are every day, and prediction and incorporation an avionics systems on vision systems is also  an "old thing" that was realized on fourth generation fighter jets (USA).
I would suggest you search Google for "next generation avionics systems on military jets" and do the best job. I am sure that an "brain attachement with all 3D presentation of terrain with navigation data and terrain is not thing of way to far science fiction"

Ismar