The Air Force Debuts a New ‘e’ Aircraft Designation

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The U.S. Air Force plans to designate new jets designed using new “digital engineering” with a lowercase “e.”
The Air Force believes aircraft built the new way—like the brand-new, secret fighter jet—are so different, they deserve wider recognition.
The U.S. Air Force believes new digital aerospace engineering processes—using computers to design, model, and test aircraft before an actual prototype is built—are so revolutionary that it will now assign a lowercase “e” to the designation of current and future planes designed in such a way.
According to the Air Force, computer modeling allowed the Red Hawk to go from “from computer screen to first flight” in just three years. “Model-based engineering and 3D design tools,” the Air Force says, “reduced the T-7’s assembly hours by 80 [percent] and cut software development time in half.”
Until this week, the slow pace of worldwide fighter development meant a brand-new American fighter came along just about once every generation. Now, thanks to digital engineering, it’s possible the Air Force will build multiple prototype e-series fighters before settling on a single design to build.

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Article URL : https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/amp34043731/air-force-new-designation-e-series-aircraft/