The F-47, a potential 6th-generation combat aircraft that Boeing is currently in the process of developing under the U.S. Air Force’s NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) program, is not yet well-known. It will be “stealthy,” it will be accompanied by Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones, and it will have “greater availability than 5th-generation fighters.” Additionally, it will have a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 km).
The Air Force intends to acquire a minimum of 185 F-47s to achieve a higher level of operational availability and lower lifecycle costs than the F-22. Additionally, it is expected that the F-47 will be more cost-effective per unit than the F-22, which will facilitate the procurement of a greater quantity.
The F-47 is expected to be operational between 2025 and 2029. General David Allvin, the Air Force Chief of Staff, predicted that the aircraft would undertake flight operations before the end of the Trump administration in 2029.
Furthermore, according to the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Allvin, the F-47 “will fly under the Trump administration,” because “while our X-planes flew in the shadows, we were consolidating our air dominance by accelerating technological development, refining our operational concepts, and proving that we can deploy this capability faster than ever before.”
The F-47 and its CCA drones are specifically designed for the Indo-Pacific region, where the extensive range and survivability are essential due to the advanced anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threats posed by adversaries such as China and the immense distances.
The Pentagon has other projects in the pipeline, including the F/A-XX intended for the US Navy. The selection of a manufacturer is still pending, despite the fact that it should have been announced by now. These projects are likely to have been partially funded under the Pentagon’s “black programs” or secret programs.
In fact, on May 15, President Trump disclosed that the United States is contemplating the development of an additional fighter aircraft, the F-55 and that the F-22A Raptor would be upgraded to a new standard known as the “Super Raptor” during an official visit to Doha, Qatar.
“We’re going to launch the F-55 and—I think if we get the right price, we have to get the right price—it will be a twin-engine aircraft and a super upgrade of the F-35, then we’ll move on to the F-22,” Trump stated.
“I think the most beautiful fighter jet in the world is the F-22, but we’re going to make a Super F-22, which will be a very modern version of this fighter,” added the head of the White House. “We’re going to move pretty quickly on this,” he emphasized.
Trump’s comments raise some questions. The F-22A Raptor, which has been in active service since 2005, has undergone continuous upgrades. This took place in the context of ongoing tensions between Congress and the Pentagon, which is seeking to retire the oldest aircraft, specifically those that are still at Block 20 standard. The true capabilities of the F-22A Raptor are classified.
The U.S. Air Force estimated in April 2023 that the F-22A Raptor would require “at least $9 billion” to maintain a “top-level” standard through 2030, with $3.2 billion allocated for research, development, and testing.
Lockheed Martin is currently responsible for the integration of new infrared sensors (IRDS) into the F-22As at a cost of $270 million.
The F-55 may be the “F-35+” that Lockheed Martin CEO James Taiclet recently mentioned.
“The challenge is to achieve 80% of sixth-generation capabilities at half the cost. And that’s something the engineers […] wouldn’t have accepted unless they believed there was a path to achieve it,” he explained during a press call last month.
In summary, the objective is to incorporate technologies developed by Lockheed Martin for the NGAD program, such as those associated with the deployment of collaborative drones and other connected effectors, into the F-35.
Nevertheless, this would necessitate an even more powerful engine, as the current F-35 engine is already insufficient for all of the functionalities laid out in its specifications. This is probably the reason why Trump referenced a “twin-engine” design. Nevertheless, the integration of a second engine would necessitate the redesign of the airframe of Lockheed Martin’s fighter bomber, which would essentially necessitate the development of a new aircraft.
The United States is currently engaged in competition with China, which is in the process of developing its own sixth-generation fighters (e.g., Chengdu J-36, Shenyang J-50). Therefore, the timely deployment of the F-47 and its associated systems is a top defense priority.
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