What is "Kill Switch"?

"Each one of these jets are awesome and have their supporters. And (this is the buzz kill) - each one is very expensive. How to choose and what to choose from what is available right now. I know which of the above I like - all of them."

Like many Minnesota "red" activists, I got to know Pete Hegseth. He is a good guy, a loyal and dedicated American. And, like many Minnesotans, I was delighted when President Trump picked Pete to run the Pentagon. My opinion? Running the Pentagon these days might be the toughest job in Washington. Not just because the last crew made such a DEI mess of it, there is a lot going in right now. So much so, I am finding out new stuff about what the DOD folks are up to all the time. I can only imagine what Pete is learning.

Not too long ago, it was decided as good as the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning are in air dominance, they soon will not be dominant enough. The Pentagon needed something faster, stealthier, and loaded with AI. A bidding competition was held, and it was kept very secret. It went under the code name Kill Switch. The winning design would have a new nomenclature. It was to be a new fighter jet called the F-45 Condor.

Once the cat was out of the bag (so to speak), and some were seeing this UFO like jet flying around at breakneck speed, it was decided to disclose just a bit of what this new jet was. "Show some leg", as the expression goes. For example, this new jet is almost invisible on radar all the time. It can fly at Mach 2.0 without using afterburners. Its ceiling is around 75,000 feet. The person giving this briefing said the reason only some of this jet's capabilities were disclosed in the public realm, is simply this - if we are willing to disclose this much, just imagine how much of this jet's prowess is still kept under wraps. Let the Russians and Chinese stew about that!

Back to the dilemma at the Pentagon. There are folks who still think the F-22 Raptor is the best of the best and want to keep upgrading it. The supporters of the F-35 Lightning think with the addition of the Block 4 upgrade, this jet might be the best. The Navy loves the newer F-18 Super Hornet, and it is awesome. Plus, there are the old timers who think the newest version of the tried-and-true F-15 Eagle might still be a very tough fighter and good to have around.

We can't forget about the new bombers such as the B-21 Raider and the SR-72 Darkstar.  Finally, those who are looking over the horizon at tomorrow, still want us to invest in the NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) fighter jet, along with its accompanying fleet of AI robotic Loyal Wingman jets. Wow! That is an impressive list!

Each one of these jets are awesome and have their supporters. And (this is the buzz kill) - each one is very expensive. Hegseth has been asked to give the Pentagon a small "haircut" to help out the DOGE initiative. How to choose and what to choose from what is available right now. I know which of the above I like - all of them. But pay no attention to me - I am just an aviation fan. Hey, I even still like the F-4 Phantom. Noisy but deadly, that was one heck of a plane.

What is Kill Switch? It is an old name for a new jet. If you ever run across an article or YouTube on this jet, give it a read or a view. To say it is impressive would be an understatement.