The Boeing F-47 is set to become the United States Air Force’s (USAF) next-generation air superiority fighter, developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme.

Designed to replace the aging F-22 Raptor, the F-47 is expected to be the most advanced fighter aircraft ever built, incorporating cutting-edge stealth, sensor fusion, and autonomous capabilities.

While much of the aircraft’s specifications remain classified, here’s what we know so far.

The F-47 is being developed as part of the USAF’s broader NGAD initiative, which aims to create a “family of systems” for air dominance. Unlike traditional fighter jets, which operate independently, the F-47 will be the core of a networked system, working alongside unmanned aircraft to enhance combat effectiveness.

Although experimental prototypes have reportedly been in testing since 2020, the program’s progress faced a temporary pause in 2024 due to concerns over escalating costs. The projected price per unit was found to be significantly higher than previous expectations—estimated at three times the cost of an F-35 Lightning II. This prompted the U.S. Air Force to reassess the program’s feasibility before moving forward.

Despite these concerns, in March 2025, the U.S. government confirmed Boeing as the primary contractor for the F-47, awarding the company a contract worth over $20 billion. This decision marked a major boost for Boeing’s military aviation division, particularly its fighter jet production facilities in St. Louis, Missouri.

While official details about the F-47’s design remain highly classified, statements from senior USAF officials suggest the aircraft will represent a significant leap over fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35. Some of its anticipated capabilities include:

  • Extended Range: The F-47 is expected to have a much longer operational range compared to previous fighters, enabling it to conduct deep-penetration missions without requiring frequent refuelling.
  • Advanced Stealth: The aircraft will incorporate next-generation stealth technology to evade detection by enemy radar and air defence systems.
  • Autonomous Coordination: It will be capable of operating alongside drone swarms, coordinating their actions to overwhelm enemy defences.
  • Enhanced Survivability: The F-47 is being designed to be more maintainable and deployable with reduced logistical requirements, making it easier to sustain in combat scenarios.
  • Cost Efficiency: While the initial cost of the program raised concerns, USAF officials have stated that the F-47 will be cheaper to produce and maintain than the F-22, allowing for larger fleet acquisitions.

With test flights expected before the end of the decade, the F-47 is set to become the first operational sixth-generation fighter in the United States’ arsenal. Its entry into service is projected for the early 2030s.

The F-47’s selection has also had notable economic implications, with Boeing’s stock experiencing a surge following the contract announcement, while rival Lockheed Martin saw a decline. The project is expected to provide a much-needed revitalisation for Boeing’s defence sector.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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95 COMMENTS

  1. Boeing don’t have a single original fighter design in service, if I’m not mistaken. At a rumoured 300 million dollars per unit, I doubt Mr Trump’s allies are ringing either. Listening to the bumph the engine design sounds remarkably similar to that proposed for the Tempest. I’d guess the GE XA-101 has alot of that research from the F-136 in play. Given it was a joint RR-GE project. Likewise the Tempest. I don’t reckon it will be in service until 2035 though. These things take a decade, or more if things go wrong.

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    • I think k you are right there can be little doubt about the GE engine and RRs to a degree going in the same direction RR and Allison together had an equal share of that F-136 development and their general developments since more generally have pushed very hard into increasing efficiency and economy esp with their gearing solutions so RR should be able to produce a very competitive hybrid design.

  3. What do we know? The answer is ‘not much’. Apparently, according to a YouTube interview, the default flying mode for the F-47 will be self-flying with the pilot able to manually override the aircraft when necessary. But in normal mode the aircraft will fly itself allowing the pilot to manage a drone fleet. Trump said the aircraft can go ‘2’ which I assume means Mach 2. Boeing has a long history of stealth research so it will be interesting to see what the final F-47 looks like.

  4. Bigger and more technologically advanced, yet cheaper and more quickly operational. A tough trick to pull off. Something is going to give and if you don’t plan what and how, you are going to fail on all the metrics.

    If you want it to be more affordable, I think you’d have to redesign it (after the prototypes) to achieve its technological advances simply, with simplicity and maintainability being a higher priority than being the best of the best technically. Bleeding edge always costs more. However, a redesign for cheapness and ease of use comes at a cost in time. Taking 2 years out right now would pay back handsomely in the long run, but politicians don’t do delayed gratification, and nor does the enemy. Then you then have to write off the design costs, because loading those into the the first 500 planes will give Congress the willies and you may never get the 500 planes. Loading costs into the first few planes leads to F-22 or Zumwalt issues. Sunk costs sinks ships, at least in the US.

    I’ve not heard anything yet about how these issues will be balanced. The President is all about the best of the best and I want it now. If they nerf it before selling it to allies, they won’t get their volume that way. That’s just more sales to Tempest.

    • Let’s hope it’s nothing like the Zumwalt class. Lol. The basic idea behind the F-47 sounds a lot like Tempest. I wonder if Trump is withholding the projected unit cost, not for national security reasons but to avoid political flack… because it’s pricey.

        • We don’t know anything about either of them. Just CGI images and very limited press releases giving pretty much nothing away.

        • Daniel unless you are a Chinese spy perhaps, you know nothing about either, geez 6th Gen isn’t even a solid specification outside of those snake oil salesmen promising the earth for their own design. Tempest has always been presented as a 6th Gen aircraft and at this point in time neither it, Chinese prototypes or the F-47 can be judged against whatever more concrete expectations of that moniker become firmed up it’s all pr till then. One thing is sure Trump will be the last to understand what it is or isn’t… just that the F-47 will be the best aircraft the Universe has ever seen or will ever see and China will never get anywhere near it blah, blah, blah. After all he pretty much claimed that in his last Presidency when as we now know it didn’t even actually exist.

          • Daniel puts us down endlessly as nobodies. Yet spends time on a UK centric defence website?
            Why bother?

          • If it is painted in Trump Tangerine Tint it will be the best ever: surely?

            The F47 thing is the biggest joke with the project getting green lit by Trump’s ego!

          • The usual anti sixth gen argument against Tempest is that it has vertical ( ish) tails.
            If that is their only criteria for a sixth gen jet then German beat everybody to a sixth gen aircraft eighty years with the Horten brothers flying wing .
            First off , if they wanted it to be tail less , it would be, tail less aircraft are not new, so if Tempest had vertical fins it is for a reason although I will not be surprised if they are using the mock ups and artist impressions to throw a few red herrings to our competitors.
            Tempest will have combined cycle engines.
            Tempest will have huge electrical generating capacity for directed energy weapons.
            Tempest will have GaAs based advanced radar, a prototype is already up and running.
            Tempest will use Ai extensively
            Tempest will have all aspects stealth.
            That is all we know, which is not much.
            Oh yes it doesn’t have “ made in America” stamped on it.
            And it is being developed by some of the most talented Aerospace, avionics and jet propulsion specialists on the planet.
            So I think the days of Americas dominance in the fighter game are numbered.

        • All this generational nonsense is just a marketing ploy (aka a load of bollocks) oh look its six gen as in it is tailless also American aircraft industry, Boeing, Lockheed Martin et al says so, like I said a load of bollocks

          • This whole 5th gen nonsense was invented as a marketing ploy to sell the F22 to the pentagon.
            Basically it is an aircraft capable of supercruise, sensor fusion, low observability . And vectored thrust.
            Both the Rafale and Typhoon tick all those boxes except the low observably and vectored thrust. Somebody will challenge me on the list.
            Both the Rafale and Typhoon have a reduced RCS from nose on. Both can out dog fight a F22 so vectored thrust is not required. Both have a high degree of sensor fusion arguable better as the Typhoon and Rafale have very highly developed infra red search and track. ( which the USAF have found out to their cost).
            6th gen is supposed to have all aspects stealth reduced observability, even to the lower frequency , Next generation radar , possible GaAs technology. Combined cycle engines that can switch between high thrust and high efficiency. High integration of AI. High electrical generating capacity. And made in America stamped on it,

          • I take the generational shift to ‘6’ as primarily its construction, I.e 3d printing of most of the airframe, advanced propulsion, stealth, AI assisted blended senor and communication suite that’s a significant advance over current Link16/radar/electro optical/ infared sensors, able tp control loyal wingmen and optionally manned.

      • Nobody that I know of. They projected 200 when it was expensive, stopped the project and came back saying they wanted more. They also said they planned on more than the F-22 (which agian was about 200). Originally the USAF planned for 750 F-22s to fill the same role. 500 was just a guestimate for the F-47 requirement.

    • I agree but they could pull an F22 and refuse to sell it to anyone else, even close allies, back in the day that still had such things.
      Secondly given the new era of Trump first , sorry I meant America first, is anyone going to buy a jet or any weapons system that heavily relies on continual support from the US.
      I very much doubt it!!
      Trump had torched 80 years of trust and it will take twice that long to get it back.

  5. Boeing have struggled with the theoretically much simplerT7 programme which is running years late and, despite a fixed price contract,is substantially over budget, causing Boeing to book large losses.
    The F47 doesn’t have the added complication of 3 different versions like the F35. But that hasn’t been the main cause of that aircraft programmes’ ongoing difficulties. Rather, it is the development of complex software that has plagued the aircraft.
    Given the stated ambitions for the F47, it is hard to see how Boeing can avoid similar problems.

    • You may be right though to be fair the Boeing fast jet division has been the only part of Boeing that works… mainly because fundamentally it’s not Boeing of course.

        • lots of X planes and drones. the f-15 eagle 2 is pretty close to an all new plane considering they switched to fly by wire, glass cockpit etc. but look up phantom works and you can see a lot of aircraft they’ve built… they also manufactured the f-22 fuesalage.

    • The F-47 Trumpinator.
      Will it be painted orange or gold?
      Getting the fake tan to stay on at high Mach numbers could be a challenge.

      • The F-47 Orange Shitgibbon.

        Painted orange, except for the canopy and tails, which will be painted yellow in honour of his dyed hair.

        Instead of the shark-teeth decals like on some older planes, it’ll have Trump’s patented O-pout painted on.

  7. GCAP needs to be accelerated and I would be speaking to the Germans to try and get them on board asap, the French can carry on being French.

    UK, Japan, Italy and Germany would be a winning team given the current geopolitical situation.

    I’m going to add Sweden and possibly even Canada, Australia and Brazil as an afterthought.

    • I would not invite the Germans into the game..only as a customer as soon as you invite the Germans on board you can kiss goodbye to a load of potential sales as they will insist every sale passes a practically pacifist moral sniff test.

    • That would actually make some in France happy as they have been complaining about job sharing and work with Germany slowing things down. And the GCAP is made to replace the Eurofighter so more in line with Germany’s needs than a multirole SCAF made to replace the Rafale also in its navy version.

      However, France would most likely then look for other partners (India? They are big Rafale customers), programmes are now days to expensive. And the GCAP cannot expand amount of industrial partners beyond three or four, the programme would become unmanageable.

      • Quitting this project with Germany now would push it back many years. Working with India would push it back decades.
        Tempest holds all the cards.

        • While I have great respect for India . If you involve India you may as well hand the engineering drawing and specs to the Russians and Chinese and cut out the middle man.

      • What makes you think India wouldn’t want very significant workshare?

        The Germans are a pain to work with on defence projects.

        You can also bet that whether tech lands in India ends up in both China and Russia.

    • After the shinanigans the Germans pulled with the Typhoon development. NO THANKS.
      Not a month went by without them trying to emasculate the aircraft , reduce the numbers or pull out entirely. While of course retaining their share of the build.
      If the Germans are brought on board. It is on a take it or leave it basis. To make the already tight timescales they cannot afford any political w***king around.

      • There’s a place for the Germans, building CCAs, loyal wingman drones and other ancillaries. They might actually be more lucrative than the manned fighter as not only could you sell multiple CAAs per crewed aircraft, they could also pair with SCAF, F/A-XX and F-47, so a really big potential market.

    • Michael, – the most certain thing we know of the F47 is that the money will keep Boeing from a failed business. Another certainty, Sec Lutnik, billionaire, has little sympathy for seniors who did not get their Social security cheques. Pres DJT is very mad at vandalism on Tesla but no concerns of seniors who are missing cheques due to Musk’s chainsaw.

    • If you are going to have two twin engine European stealth fighters, then it would make sense for one to be smaller, lighter, cheaper F-18 equivalent, & the other heavier, longer ranged, bigger payload F-15EX/F-111 equivalent. Making two nearly equivalent mid size jets is a crazy waste of money.

      • From memory I believe the GCAP latest details indicated a plane of around F15 size … big and long range, with lots of missile carrying capacity.

        • Yes, so the French/German needs to be smaller. Perhaps UK/Italy/France /Germany/Spain/Sweden/Japan could take a small stake in each others project? Might save money if you have some common items.

  8. I do find it very interesting that with increased sensor fusion linked with drone fleets the pure level of information and decision making is huge..essentially these 6th generation aircraft are very large command and control nodes and beyond visual range combatants that will manage a fleet of assets as well as be attacking a large number of enemy assets all at the same time… not small within visual range dog fighters that will be “going to guns” or “ losing tone” in some maverick like one on one close combat situation.

    So knowing that the single most cost effect, adaptable and resilient decision making computer on the planet is the human brain. Why the hell do they only put one of them in the fighter and then spend a fortune creating a hugely complicated autonomous system to take over some of the functions when that human gets overwhelmed… why not stick two brains in the machine…just like the Israelis kept asking for in the F35..and who should know what’s needed because let’s be honest they have spend more time penetrating a peers airspace than anyone else.

    • Have they spent much time however penetrating Russian or Chinese defences? What about penetrating those defences in the 30s and 40s when new platforms will become operational? I’m sorry it’s difficult to assess how human brains and ai will compare by then, but as ai is expected to attain AGI within a few years no one can predict where it goes thereafter. Indeed even many scientists in the field in the mid teens did not feel such progress as we see now was possible till the middle of this century. But whatever happens, even now ai can do much that the human brain can’t match while yes in other aspects true the human brain still cannot be matched so even as we develop sensor fusion now we have to develop the best predictable combination. One thing is certain a two man design is simply not remotely a sensible option for anything short of a B-21 type platform which has been put forward by some as a better solution than traditional size fighter bomber solutions because of range and ordanance. But that isn’t an option for non US or Chinese countries who need to produce a more flexible and affordable solution and even the Americans, where such a solution over the Pacific is at its strongest are not committing to that sort of aircraft as a single solution, just too risky.

  9. Wonder how the F47, the UK/IT/JP GCAP and the FR/DE SCAF will differ. The F47 will be by far the most expensive so assumed superior performance. However, it looks like it will be delivered years before the other two, so in theory the GCAP and SCAF will potentially have latest technologies when delivered. Both the the F47 and GCAP seam to be aiming at air superiority and interceptor role, and geared towards long distances so relatively big for more fuel and weapons, while the SCAF will have be used on aircraft carriers too and will replace the Rafale so potentially smaller and most likely a multirole.

    • It will be interesting to see if F-47 will indeed e delivered years earlier than Tempest a lot depends on just how cutting edge they wish to make it, that subject has been part of the pause they have had as affordability and numbers are deemed important to manage in light of the F-22 and the numbers of Chinese aircraft they are likely to face. I’m sure it will likely set the bar but in the end that set of decisions will decide if extra cost delivers measurable extra capability and when that might be delivered. By 2030 whatever superiority the F-22 will retain (if any) will be totally outmatched by Chinese numbers that change is already happening and the F-22s lack of range and flexibility do nothing to help that. So let’s see if the US aims sky high with resulting higher risks or settles for something a little less super capable but in the end in numbers, time to service, flexibility and reliability is deemed a better option. Comparison to Tempest at that point might be interesting but I think as bigger longer legged more flexible, and thus more capable platforms seem to be preferred it could lead the SCAF design and development at a bit of a disadvantage if they aren’t careful.

      • Even with help from Saab, Boeing is having to delay service entry of the simple Redhawk trainer. F-47 Donald Duck may be the first 22nd century fighter by the time it reaches squadrons.

  10. ‘While official details about the F-47’s design remain highly classified….’ until next week when the Chinese will have hacked into Boeing and stolen everything!

  12. Let’s see where this goes?DONALD TRUMP, YOU EUROPEAN PEOPLE BUY MY NEW FIGHTER ,300M DOLLARS FOR ONE ,SENSIBLE PEOPLE OF EUROPE, NO THANK YOU, DONALD TRUMP, I WILL PUT TARRIFFS ON ALL OF YOU WITH NO MERCY ,SENSIBLE PEOPLE OF EUROPE, SO ,WE ARE BUILDING OUR OWN AIRCRAFT YOUR BOEING CRAP FALLS TO BITS OR BITS FALL OFF IT ,DONALD TRUMP NOW THE COLOURS OF ORANGE AND RED FACE 🥵 😡, I WILL PUT SANCTIONS ON EUROPE AND INCREASE PRESSURE ON ALL OF YOU TO BUY 💩, ,PEOPLE OF EUROPE, WHO CARES WE DONT ,SO GET LOST TRUMP,XXX EXPLOSION IN THE WHITE HOUSE ,THE ORANGE BLOATED BLIMP EXPLODED WITH RAGE ,PIECES EVERYWHERE, NOT A NICE SIGHT FOR THOSE WITH A DISCONCERTING NATURE, NOW THAT WOULD BE A SIGHT WORTH SEEING 😉 😜 😀 🙄

    • Given the question surrounding the F-35 and a kill switch , no country in their right mind is going to invest in a military piece of hardware where it can be effectively shut down just by the government putting an export ban on it spares and support.
      The U.K. may need to buy more simply because our carriers have been designed round them but,I suspect it will be the bare minimum not the 140 that we had initially intended to buy.
      We do however have one advantage the majority of countries don’t, which is a well developed aerospace industry . So if support for the F35 was cut off , we are capable of reverse engineering any component on the jet.

      • I would go to the USA one last time to buy AAG for QE/PoW & turn them STOBAR. Then the FAA could have 4 fast jet squadrons. Three with F-35B (800, 801, 809) & one with Rafale M. Rafale M with buddy tanks could air refuel the short legged F-35B. Rafale could also carry ASN4G giving the UK back a second string airborne deterrent.

    • The irony is tempest is driven partly by the poor deal offered to allies with f35. And who would America then trust to export this very advanced plane too?

    • Recent events make it all but inevitable I would say. Indeed the market is looking rosy if they get it right and with the Japanese onboard I think k there is every chance of that. It will be interesting who if anyone will be allowed to buy the F-47 and what dissolved capabilities it might have if it were exported. Certainly F-47 and Tempest are now somewhat closer in concept than NGAD was originally.

  17. It was a bit weird that Trump said that allies wanted to buy this plane, but it hadn’t even been announced. How would they know it exists? And that it would be available to allies with 90% capability in case they become enemies! Does he know something that we don’t?

  19. AI will simply mean that everyone has exactly the same aircraft. The only difference is that the Chinese will be able to afford to make a lot more of them than everyone else.

  21. A @PaulStewartAviation YouTube video speculates that it is a more recent version of the Boeing X-36. Interesting video. The visuals match up, but the X-36 might be just a placeholder used in the promotional artwork.

  22. So, the F-47. Presumably named after Trump himself. Full name: the F-47 Donald.

    I really hope they paint at least one orange for a laugh!

  23. The ways it’s going give in a few years and we actually risk the U.S. selling an export version of these to the Russians or sharing a lot of the knowledge needed. Just watched the witkoff interview, a guy who’s now leading the US Russia relationship, who just happens to be of Russian background who thinks Putin is a good guy and a nice guy, that prayed for Donald Trump and commissioned a portrait of Donald as a gift and that Ukraine is essentially a made up country and that the U.S. and Russia should be collaborating on major projects as friendly powers” Who doesn’t want to have a world where Russia and the US are doing collaboratively good things together, thinking about how to integrate their energy polices in the Arctic, share sea lines maybe, send LNG gas into Europe together, maybe collaborate on AI together?”

    It makes me want to throw up to be honest, and I just hope the U.S. realises who its actually enemies and friends are before it to late and Russia and china gain so much advantage that its to late for western democracies.

    • O yes I also forget..after insisting that any peace required European nations to put troops on the ground in Ukraine and after a lot of effort to see if theirs is possible Witkoff has now reversed that,stabbed is European NATO allies in the back and is essentially parroting the Russian view, that is not acceptable and that the UK and Europe are posing and posturing….

      I hate that fact it’s happening but in all reality unless something massive shifts in the US we have lost them as an ally, but even worse they seem to be shifting to a friendship with our greatest enemy. Sickening as it may be Europe and especially the UK ( being Russians enemy number one and the closest friend of the US and outside the US) really needs to consider very very careful what it does and where it goes…because although being global is important for the UK..the existential threat to the UK has always been regional and the major wars we have fought although global in nature have always revolved around the Euro Atlantic…at present it’s a toss between what the next major war looks like, where it’s locus of destruction will be, who will be the major protagonist and who will be neural…if you had asked me a year ago I would have said it was always going to be a true world war that started in the western pacific and had the US, NATO and pacific democracies on one side, china, Russia, Iran and proxy nations on the other…now it’s a toss up between a European war in which the U.S. may or may not get involved and china stays neutral or a U.S. china war in which Russia and Europe many or may not be involved…I think a world war is now becoming less likely as the U.S. has broken trust with the European democracies and I don’t think either of the liberal democratic great power blocks is coming to the others rescue anymore.

      • The US & UK fell out over Suez & Vietnam, but mutual interest will always bring us back together in the end. Four years from now the US/UK may be close again.

        • In the 50s and 60s the US and UK had joint enemy that was an existential threat to both, so although the U.S. was happy to stab the Uk in the back to keep its influence as low as possible, it still wanted it as an ally against Russia. The MAGA crew now see Russia as the potential friend to help control its key enemy ( china) the UK and the rest of Europe as nothing more than competition in the market place.

    • The UK is in a difficult position. Many MAGA people and influential US thinkers are hostile to the UK, and actively pro Russia, people like Jeffrey Sachs. They see Europe as a self-important, woke burden and Russia as a business opportunity. Meanwhile, the French are now reaping the rewards of ‘strategic autonomy’. I think the gap between the US and Europe will grow. We’re so tied into US defence that we will do the typical British thing and fudge the issue for as long as possible… but crunch time will come. It’s not outlandish to think that the US could re-arm Russia… but I’m not so sure that Putin will trust them enough to go along with it. Our nuclear deterrent is subsidised by the US and I do wonder if that will continue with the next generation of weapons. The US is effectively broke and so are we with our national debt. The good news for us is that China is also in a kind of decline, but does not seem able to recognise it either. Russia is in even more rapid decline. Pax-Americana is dead. Interesting times as they say.

  25. I’m sure Israel doesn’t think that. To begin with, F-47 need to be brought to mind… In Israel. And it will be… (smiley)

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