Boeing Scores Major Contract With U.S. Air Force for F-47, World’s First Sixth-Generation Fighter Aircraft
By Space Coast Daily // March 23, 2025
contract for F-47 valued at over $20 billion
The United States Air Force has officially unveiled its next-generation air superiority fighter, the F-47, marking a significant milestone in military aviation.
Developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, the F-47 is set to replace the aging F-22 Raptor fleet and maintain U.S. air superiority in increasingly contested environments.
On March 21, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that Boeing had been awarded the engineering and manufacturing development contract for the F-47, valued at over $20 billion.
This decision is expected to revitalize Boeing’s military aviation division, particularly its fighter production line in St. Louis, Missouri.
The F-47 is designed to operate as part of a “family of systems,” integrating seamlessly with autonomous drone wingmen or collaborative combat aircraft. This approach aims to enhance mission flexibility and effectiveness in various combat scenarios.
Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin highlighted that the F-47 will offer significant improvements over its predecessors, including extended range, advanced stealth capabilities, reduced operational costs, and higher availability rates.
These enhancements are intended to ensure the aircraft’s adaptability to future threats and reduce the manpower and infrastructure required for deployment.
The NGAD program, which encompasses the development of the F-47, has been in progress since 2020, with experimental test flights conducted over the past five years. The Air Force aims to have the F-47 operational by the end of President Trump’s term in early 2029, positioning it as the world’s first sixth-generation fighter aircraft.
The introduction of the F-47 represents a strategic effort to counter advancements by potential adversaries, particularly China, and to maintain the United States’ technological edge in aerial combat. The aircraft’s development underscores a historic investment in the country’s defense industrial base, keeping the U.S. at the forefront of aerospace technology.
While specific details about the F-47’s design and capabilities remain classified, its development signifies a pivotal evolution in military aviation, reflecting the Air Force’s commitment to innovation and air dominance in the 21st century.
