[YouTube] Fighter jets are among the most expensive, complex platforms that any nation builds and maintains (losing out to submarines and warships mostly because of the scale of the latter). For years, the US was the undisputed leader in the fighter domain, having introduced the 5th Generation F-22 Raptor in 2005, while challengers like the SU-57 would have to wait until the 2020s (and rise to fame a little thanks to the new Topgun film).
But technology moves on; drones, engine technology, sensors, stealth...it all improves, and eventually countries are left with the choice to either build something new or fall behind.
Many have chosen to compete, and in this video I introduce some of the projects pushing for next generation fighters, including the British-Japanese-Italian GCAP, Franco-German-Spanish FCAS, and two American programs.