The U.S. Air Force has revealed a first look at what will be the most advanced, lethal, & adaptable fighter ever developed: the U.S. Air Force's F-47. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force https://commons.wikimedia.org)
Earlier today, President Donald Trump announced on television that, following a rigorous competition among America’s leading aerospace companies, the U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform.
The president emphasized that the competition was intense.
In a press release, the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs revealed that the contract for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the NGAD platform represents a significant milestone in advancing air superiority.
This contract will facilitate the development of the F-47, the first sixth-generation fighter aircraft in the world.
The decision came after a fair and thorough selection process, reaffirming the NGAD platform as the most capable and cost-effective solution for maintaining air superiority in an increasingly complex global threat environment.
This reflects the Air Force's commitment to providing advanced technology to our warfighters while optimizing taxpayer investment.
In May 2024, the Air Force initiated a strategic pause in the program to ensure it made the best decisions for its personnel and the nation’s security.
During this pause, the Air Force continued to collaborate with industry partners to mature critical technologies and aggressively accelerate innovation.
The F-47 will serve as the cornerstone of the NGAD Family of Systems, designed to integrate next-generation stealth, sensor fusion, and long-range strike capabilities, effectively countering sophisticated adversaries in contested environments.
Its adaptable and modular design ensures seamless integration with emerging technologies, positioning it as a dominant platform for decades to come.
Over the past five years, a strong partnership between the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has laid the groundwork for the F-47 through various X-planes.
These experimental aircraft have logged hundreds of flight hours, advancing capabilities in stealth, range, and autonomous systems while refining operational concepts.
By utilizing 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.
This approach enables rapid technology integration, ensuring the F-47 remains adaptable and upgradable to meet future mission requirements and address emerging threats.
The contract funds the engineering and manufacturing development phase, which entails maturing, integrating, and testing all aspects of the F-47. This phase will produce a limited number of test aircraft for evaluation, and it also includes competitively priced options for low-rate initial production.
Last month, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg addressed the $14 billion cash drain from the previous year, pointing to rising production rates of the 737 and 787 Dreamliner as indicators of a turnaround.
He expects that the company will seek FAA authorization to increase 737 output from 38 by mid-year to 42 by year-end.
Ortberg noted that key performance indicators monitored by the U.S. regulator are trending positively, citing improvements in the quality of 737 fuselages shipped by Spirit AeroSystems and progress in addressing supplier parts shortages.
Boeing has conducted thorough analyses to mitigate the risks associated with five fixed-price development programs, which have led to nearly $11 billion in accounting charges since 2022. The company sees the potential to renegotiate the terms of its contracts, including those for Air Force One.