| | characteristic | |
| 1st generation | Static strength | Peak ageing, Cr, Mn-additions | 2024-T3, 2014-T6, |
| 1930s~1950s | | Coherent/semi-coherent precipitates | 7075-T6, 7178-T6 |
| Heat-resistant | Heat-resistant phase | 2618 |
| 2nd generation | Stress-corrosion cracking | Over ageing | 7075-T76/T74 |
| 1950s~1960s | resistant, damage tolerant | Discontinuous distribution of grain | |
| | boundary precipitates, Cu diffusion | |
| 3rd generation | High strength, | Purifying, Zr-additions | 7475-T74 |
| 1970s~1980s | high toughness, | Fine constituent particles | 7050-T74 |
| corrosion resistant | | 2519-T87 |
| High strength, | Li alloying | 1420, 2090 |
| low density | Li-bearing strengthening phase | 8090/2091 |
| Heat resistant | Rapid solidification, | 8009/8109 |
| | spray forming heat-resistant phases, | Aluminum matrix |
| | fibres or particulates | composites |
| 4th generation | High strength, | Further purifying, 3-step ageing | 7150-T77 |
| 1990s | high toughness, | Discontinuous distribution of grain | 7055-T77 |
| corrosion resistant, | boundary precipitates and high density | |
| more damage-tolerant | metastable phases, narrow | |
| | precipitation-free-zone (PFZ) | |
| More damage-tolerant | Thermo-mechanical processing | 2524-T39 |
| | clusters, substructures | |
| Low density | Li alloying, addition of minor species | 2095/2195 |
| | Li-bearing strengthening phase | 2098/2198 |
| 5th generation | High strength, | Lowering solvus, addition of | 7085-T76/T74 |
| 2000s~now | high toughness, | slower diffusing species, | |
| low quench sensitivity | phase and grain boundaries with low | |
| | energy, high density metastable phases | |
| Low density, more | Li alloying, addition of minor species | 2099/2199 |
| damage- tolerant | Li-bearing strengthening phase | 2050/2060 |
| More heat-resistant | Addition of minor species, | 2039/2139/2040 |
| | new heat-resistant phases | |