What Do Fighter Jet “Generations” Actually Mean?

In many military publications, writers often discuss fighter aircraft in reference to the plane’s generation. For instance, the F-15 is a fourth generation aircraft; the F-22 is a fifth-generation aircraft; and the upcoming NGAD will be a sixth-generation aircraft. But for new readers, it may be difficult to understand what exactly constitutes a distinct fighter jet generation. So, let’s take a moment to work from the beginning, and explain each generation of fighter aircraft.

See the full article at stlbeacon.org