Everything We Know About the F-47: America’s Next-Gen Sixth-Generation Fighter

March 22, 2025 TruthUSA

The F-47 marks the inaugural aircraft in a series of interconnected systems within the military’s Next Generation Air Dominance program.

President Donald Trump has revealed that Boeing will manufacture the sixth-generation fighter jet for the United States Air Force.

Air Force officials are now set to begin producing fleets of the new aircraft, which has been officially designated the F-47.

During a press conference in the Oval Office on March 21, Trump announced that an F-47 prototype has been secretly in flight for the past five years and that this new aircraft is anticipated to be the most advanced globally.

“We’re certain that it significantly surpasses the capabilities of any other nation,” Trump stated.

“There has never been anything even remotely comparable to it, from speed to maneuverability to payload capacity.”

The F-47 is the first of what is expected to evolve into a family of systems under the military’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, launched in 2014, aimed at deploying new aircraft by the 2030s.

Trump indicated that production for the F-47 will commence soon, with the military having already constructed several of the necessary facilities for manufacturing the system in the upcoming years.

However, much of the project remains under strict secrecy due to concerns that foreign adversaries, including communist China, might attempt to acquire sensitive information about the new technology.

Below are the key highlights from Trump’s F-47 announcement.

The F-47 Will Operate Alongside Drones

The F-47 is a manned aircraft designed to function as a lead unit in coordination with a swarm of unmanned aerial systems.

These uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) will effectively act as wingmen for the F-47 pilot, thereby enhancing the combat effectiveness of each fighter.

Trump noted on March 21 that the number of drones accompanying the F-47 pilot is adjustable, allowing for as many unmanned vehicles as necessary for specific missions.

“This plane flies with drones,” Trump stated. “It can fly with as many drones as you want.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, who joined Trump in the Oval Office, mentioned that the F-47 would “unlock the magic that is human-machine teaming,” ensuring the system becomes the “crown jewel” of the NGAD family.

“Air dominance isn’t a birthright, but it has become synonymous with American airpower,” Allvin remarked. “However, that air dominance needs to be earned every single day.”

Essential Capabilities for a Conflict with China

The likelihood of a conflict with communist China has been a significant factor in shaping the F-47’s development as the U.S. aims to shift from asymmetrical warfare against terrorist insurgencies to confronting near-peer adversaries in modern battlefields.

Concerns about maintaining robust U.S. supply lines to project power across the Pacific during wartime have been a crucial consideration for the Pentagon recently.

The NGAD initiative was partially created to address such operational needs and to enhance the United States’ capacity to project power into highly contested areas like the Indo-Pacific, where current fighters might be limited in range and payload.

In that regard, Trump asserted that the F-47 will be capable of penetrating through Chinese defensive systems, adding a much-needed asset to the U.S. military’s arsenal.

“America’s enemies will never see it coming,” Trump declared.

“If it ever happens, they won’t know what hit them,” he added.

Trump reiterated that the F-47 will boast top-notch capabilities across various domains, and its advanced stealth features, avionics, and adaptable engines are positioned to make it the most sophisticated and capable fighter aircraft ever constructed.

“This is next level,” he stated.

That next-level capability is precisely what the U.S. requires, especially as China has recently conducted tests of new unidentified aircraft, which appears to be the nation’s endeavor at developing its sixth-generation fighter.

Video footage released in December displayed a tailless stealth aircraft undergoing test flights near Chengdu, Sichuan.

This aircraft, informally referred to as the J-36, likely represents China’s attempt to outpace the United States in fighter aircraft design.

Boeing’s Lifeline After Years of Turbulence

Boeing’s success in securing the $20 billion contract to develop the F-47 over Lockheed Martin is expected to have ripple effects throughout the defense industrial landscape.

Both companies had previously unveiled design concepts showcasing flat, tailless aircraft with pointed noses; however, Boeing clinched the contract after a “rigorous and thorough competition,” as stated by Trump.

This defense contract may well serve as a crucial lifeboat for Boeing, which has faced numerous scandals in recent years, leading to significant financial and reputational challenges.

The Boeing 737 MAX program encountered considerable crises following two tragic crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The company’s management also acknowledged errors leading to a severe incident over Oregon last year, where a panel from an Alaska Airlines plane detached mid-flight due to improper installation.

Boeing lost the NASA Commercial Crew Program contract to SpaceX, suffering delays and technical complications resulting in approximately $1.6 billion in losses related to the Starliner project since 2016.

In March 2025, Boeing was compelled to halt all deliveries of its KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft after the Air Force identified cracks in two of the four new planes delivered.

This costly finding also forced the Air Force to ground its entire fleet of the aircraft.

Additionally, just one day before Trump announced Boeing’s contract to construct the F-47, a wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the company by the family of John Barnett.

Barnett, a Boeing quality manager for thirty years, tragically took his own life last year after his family claimed he was subjected to harassment and intimidation by the company due to his whistleblower reports regarding safety issues in one of its planes.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed last year that it was investigating claims that components of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were improperly assembled and “could break apart mid-flight after thousands of trips.”

“We understand the significance of designing, building, and delivering a sixth-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force,” stated Boeing Defense’s interim CEO Steve Parker in a press release on March 21.

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