As news surrounding the U.S. Air Force’s upcoming Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program has made headlines in recent days, it is important to remember Russia and China are both plugging away at their own futuristic fighter plans. The F-47 will undoubtedly be the platform to counter as more and more emerging technologies are planned to be incorporated in the jet. Since Moscow’s existing Su-57 fifth-generation aircraft is struggling to reach export targets, it may not be plausible for Russian engineers to field a homegrown sixth-generation successor in the near future. According to state-run news outlet TASS, Russia hopes to introduce a next-generation combat aircraft prototype by 2050. However, this timeline could surely keep moving as Moscow is known for military-related delays.

“Currently, we are thinking about the concept of a sixth-generation aircraft, conducting........

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