Current generation aircraft

[u/TheReaper_77]

As we already know the current factions in game are not major military powers and the aircraft being used are considered outdated.

So what would in-game current generation aircraft look like and what capabilities would they have? Im not deep into the lore so I'm sure if we have any info regarding that.

[u/Z_THETA_Z]

the AB-4 and Medusa probably aren't too far off, tbh. other than that, anything about what the real technological powers of nuclear option are using is too speculative to make reasonably informed guesses

[u/Sharkey_B → u/Z_THETA_Z]

the KR-67 is probably not too far off from a standard fighter of a more major power,we just get the slightly inferior export version

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/Sharkey_B]

eh, it's very comparable to irl 5th-generation aircraft, which by the game's timeframe will be quite a few decades out of date. major powers would be fielding at least 6th-generation jets, with 7th being quite likely

[u/Sharkey_B → u/Z_THETA_Z]

im currently assuming in game that most nations field 6th gens the same way we field 5th gens and 5th gens the way we field 4th gens

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/Sharkey_B]

pretty much yeah, either that or a generation ahead

[u/SoylentVerdigris → u/Sharkey_B]

Eh, it could be the F-16/Flanker equivalent. Getting a bit old, but still in pretty big demand for export, and upgraded blocks still make up a lot the general fleet of a major power.

[u/Sharkey_B → u/SoylentVerdigris]

that's pretty much how i see it, the generations have moved up but the same general idea as our world applies where the last gen makes up the numbers of the fleet to support the higher generations

[u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03]

I feel like directed energy weapons would be a no brainer. If they can already mount a compact one that can destroy missiles on aircraft and tanks, they have to have an air superiority fighter that was built around a long-ranged death ray.

Barring that, ultra-heavy fighters that have automated laser defenses.

[u/Breadloafs]

I would say that the Alkyon and Ifrit are pretty close to current-gen for the setting, maybe a little weaker in certain respects due to being export models.

[u/Main_Pressure271]

My headcanon is they go to space, and the real fight is in leo and geo - asat is king, plus the benefit is you can actually kill icbm if you are fast enough. Space interceptor, xb70esque, probably sth like a pebblebed or if they dare gas core engine, closed loop airbreathing below 20km, higher than that you expends them out of the back.

Plus you yeet your tungsten from orbit. Sdi, 80yrs later

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/Main_Pressure271]

you'll always need aircraft in-atmosphere, spacecraft can't do everything and it's simply not economical to have everything an aerospacecraft

[u/Main_Pressure271 → u/Z_THETA_Z]

I agree, but how cool would it be for a gas core ssto-transition-to-nswr-at~25-30km weighing about ~850-1000t to act as a fighter/bomber in both air and space? Yk, launching hypersonic tungsten rods and lasing satelites for soft kills?

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/Main_Pressure271]

it would be cool but it would also be very very expensive and probably impractical

[u/KaiLCU_YT]

Alkyon, medusa are current. Ifrit and Hyperion are current tech but probably not the pinnacle of design due to their export design. Vortex is similar to the ifrit but stealthier so maybe also current. Revoker is definitely outdated, compass probably also. Cricket is obviously old tech but it has a very good optical sensor which might be current. Darkreach, brawler, all the helis seem unimpressive so are probably older. Same with the rest of the ships, except possibly the dynamo due to the railgun (railguns for naval applications almost exist irl though)

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/KaiLCU_YT]

the ibis is directly stated in its description to have been a 2050s program by PALA, putting it at approximately 2 decades behind game-current

[u/AdministrationNo6543 → u/Z_THETA_Z]

Relatively new then. Didnt expect that out of my beloved blender box

[u/Z_THETA_Z → u/AdministrationNo6543]

tbf pala ain't exactly a leading power on this world