U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday the Pentagon’s decision to develop the next-generation fighter jet, which will be designated as the F-47. The announcement took place at the White House, in the presence of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Under my order, the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet—nothing compares to it, and it will be called the F-47,” Trump stated.
A Five-Year Secret Program
The U.S. President also revealed that an experimental prototype of the F-47 has been in test flights for almost five years.
“It’s something no one has seen before,” he emphasized, adding that the aircraft development program has been underway for a long time.
Boeing: The Primary Contractor for the F-47
The development of the new fighter jet will be assigned to Boeing after a “rigorous” selection process among top U.S. aerospace companies.
The engineering and manufacturing development phase contract exceeds $20 billion, and the contractor is expected to secure hundreds of billions in orders over the coming decades.
“Following a strict and thorough competition among America’s top aerospace firms, the Air Force will award the contract for the next-generation air superiority fighter to Boeing,” Trump announced.
The F-47 is expected to drastically enhance the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force, offering unprecedented performance, flexibility, and technological superiority over any existing or future adversary.
Air Dominance for Future Generations
Speaking about the project, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the fighter jet will ensure “generations of future air dominance” for the U.S.
“We had the F-15, the F-16, the F-18, the F-22, and the F-35. Now, we have the F-47, which sends a very direct, clear message—to our allies, that we are here to stay, and to our enemies, that we will be able to project our power unimpeded across the globe for generations to come,” Hegseth said.
The Crown Jewel of Next-Generation Aerial Warfare
Meanwhile, Air Force Chief of Staff General David Alvin described the aircraft as the “crown jewel of the next-generation air dominance system,” which will help “define the future of modern aerial warfare.”
The F-47 will be the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet, Alvin stated in an additional press release by the U.S. Air Force on Friday. It will have “significantly greater range, more advanced stealth, improved sustainability, supportability, and higher availability” than fifth-generation fighters.
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