• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

F-47 Fighter Aircraft

On 21 March 2025, the U.S. Department of the Air Force announced the contract award for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The contract, awarded to Boeing, is to lead to the development of the F-47, the world's first sixth-generation fighter aircraft.

During a press briefing at the White House, US President Donald J. Trump said he was "thrilled to announce that, at my direction, the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet," and that "mothing in the world comes even close to it, and it'll be known as the F-47."

Intended to eventually replace the Air Force's fleet of F-22 Raptors, the NGAD platform is a network-connected family of systems — including a stealth fighter jet component, drone technology and others — that simultaneously interact to ensure air superiority.

US Secretary of Defense Hegseth stated that the F-47 represents a significant advancement over the F-22, which is currently the U.S. Air Force's primary air superiority fighter.

Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform will usher in a new generation of United States fighter jets that brings leap-ahead capability in range, survivability, lethality and adaptability. The NGAD Platform is the central node in the NGAD Family of Systems.

As the cornerstone of the NGAD Family of Systems, the F-47 is designed to integrate next-generation stealth, sensor fusion, and long-range strike capabilities to counter the most sophisticated adversaries in contested environments. Its adaptability and modular design ensure seamless integration with emerging technologies, positioning it as a dominant platform for decades to come.

The NGAD's fighter jet component will have the ability to interact with drone technology will allow more lethality and modernized capability than in previous weapons systems.

Steve Parker, interim president and chief executive officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said Boeing recognizes "the importance of designing, building and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force. In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business, and we are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission."

According to a statement by by Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin, "compared to the F-22, the F-47 will cost less and be more adaptable to future threats - and we will have more of the F-47s in our inventory. The F-47 will have significantly longer range, more advanced stealth, be more sustainable, supportable, and have higher availability than our fifth-generation fighters. This platform is designed with a "built to adapt" mindset and will take significantly less manpower and infrastructure to deploy."

The award follows a May 2024 strategic pause by the Air Force in the program to ensure it was making the right decision for its warfighters and for the security of the nation. During that time, the Air Force continued collaborating with industry to aggressively mature critical technologies and accelerate innovation.

Over the previous five years, in strong partnership between the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, X-planes laid the foundation for the F-47. These experimental aircraft have flown hundreds of hours, advancing stealth, range, and autonomous systems while refining operational concepts.

By leveraging cutting-edge digital engineering techniques and government-owned architecture, the F-47 benefits from a streamlined and accelerated development timeline compared to previous fighter programs. These advancements enable rapid technology integration, ensuring the F-47 remains adaptable and upgradable to meet future mission requirements and counter emerging threats.

According to the US Air Force, the contract award funds the engineering and manufacturing development phase, which includes maturing, integrating, and testing all aspects of the F-47. This phase will produce a small number of test aircraft for evaluation. The contract also includes competitively priced options for low-rate initial production.

Future basing decisions and additional program elements will be determined in the coming years as the Air Force advances the F-47 toward operational deployment.