1 week Ago By Luke Diaz
President Donald J. Trump announced the go-ahead for the Next Generation Air Dominance project (NGAD) and the F-47 fighter. With this authorization, the United States Air Force (USAF) will be positioned to defeat all aerial threats in the world and dramatically enhance its technological capabilities in the domain of air warfare.
Trump revealed in a statement via Air Force Awards Contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform, F-47, that “I'm thrilled to announce that, at my direction, the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world's first sixth-generation fighter jet.” The unveiling set a goal to introduce a sixth-generation aircraft into service before the decade’s end. The Facebook video from the U.
S. Air Force captured an official remark, “We are on the verge of a new era in fighter capability.” The open architecture of the onboard electronics and its multi-domain network capabilities are highlighted by F-47 proponents.
Real-time data sharing depends on the advanced avionics and sensors it will carry, not only to ensure that pilots have everything they need to make decisions but also to share intelligence between satellites, drones, and ground units. From X-plane to F-47 Since at least 2020, X-plane test campaigns have been underway. The feasibility of new advanced materials, shapes, and sensor arrangements have all been in development.
Refinements to the F-47's AI-enhanced software integration with pilot interfaces have been directed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the USAF in a cooperative test environment. Chief of Staff Gen. David W.
Allvin , who joined President Donald Trump at the White House on March 21 to unveil the new air superiority fighter, said: “Despite what our adversaries claim, the F-47 is truly the world’s first crewed sixth-generation fighter,” Allvin went on to say that X-planes have been testing NGAD technologies for the last five years, “flying hundreds of hours, testing cutting-edge concepts, and proving that we can push the edge of technology with confidence.” Proposed NGAD features Stealth capabilities with improved radar evasion Modular airframe design for flexible adaptation High-speed propulsion with potential for hypersonic integration Networking for multi-domain operations Unmanned systems integration featuring AI-driven autonomy Strong electronic warfare capabilities Larger payload capacity for varied mission profiles The Washington Times reported that the Air Force wants to start with “200 NGAD fighters and 1,000 unmanned collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), assuming the use of two CCA platforms for each NGAD fighter and another two for each of the 300 F-35 fifth-generation fighters.” For future air power, the US sixth-generation fighter program will use a two-pronged strategy.
Where manned and unmanned platforms will cooperate to enhance one another. Pilot safety will be enhanced and manned jets will be freed up by integrating the CCA in high-risk missions like electronic warfare, reconnaissance or deep strikes. The family alleges harassment led to their loved one's tragic passing.
The road to NGAD The USAF NGAD program represents a sweeping effort to deliver the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet, a platform to redefine the balance of air power. Designed to secure air superiority over any contested airspace, NGAD is envisioned as more than just a single aircraft—it is a system of systems. At the forefront of concerns is affordability.
The program's scope, technical aspirations, and industry needs present difficult obstacles that jeopardize its long-term viability and financial stability. With estimated prices per unit exceeding $200 million, NGAD is on track to become one of the most costly defense systems in American history. Funding NGAD has proven to be a challenge alongside other modernization projects, including cyber warfare advancement, hypersonic weapons development, and unmanned systems like the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).
If unchecked cost spirals out of control, the Air Force might have to accept a reduced fleet, similar to the B-2 Spirit’s procurement. Beyond affordability, NGAD is driven by the demand for cutting-edge technologies that remain untested in combat. The Air Force has declared that the sixth-generation platform must operate seamlessly across digital, physical, and cognitive domains.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall remarked on this strategy in 2024, saying, "threat changes; because of financial constraints; because of the development of technology, including the introduction of CCAs [autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft]...
it would be imprudent to commit to a single design before reconsidering all available options." Industrial capacity is another limiting factor. The NGAD program stretches the capabilities of the defense-industrial base, requiring exotic materials and a slew of first-of-its-kind technology.
Prime contractors including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Collins Aerospace will have to coordinate their efforts. Boeing is officially the awardee of the NGAD program, so no matter how many subcontractors become involved. Boeing has had a myriad of troubles in recent years, from the 737 MAX to Air Force One, casting doubt on its ability to deliver such a monumental project in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Can the US Air Force’s $200M-per-unit NGAD fighter overcome cost, tech, and strategy hurdles to redefine 21st-century air dominance? Once indulgent, now urgent Another level of complexity has been introduced by political and policy considerations. Acquisition priorities can be reshaped by both internal and external influences, as seen by the Air Force's 2024 temporary program hold. Air Force leadership sought to reassess whether the NGAD program was still the best route to achieving air dominance in the future.
“From a requirements perspective, what I would say is we’re going back and starting at the beginning with ‘What is the thing we’re trying to do?’” Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife said in 2024 .
“How do we achieve air superiority in a contested environment?’ would be one way to frame the question. A different way to frame the question would be, ‘How do we build a sixth-gen manned fighter platform?’ I mean, those are not necessarily the same question.” Correctly implemented, NGAD will create an integrated system that includes deep-range strike capabilities, enhanced electronic warfare, AI autonomy, hypersonic potential, modular adaptability, and stealth upgrades.
Together, these technologies will be a cornerstone of the US arsenal for many years to come. However, to realize that ambition, the Air Force must overcome long-standing procurement inefficiencies, industrial bottlenecks, cost volatility, and organizational inertia. Ultimately, NGAD is both a technical and strategic gamble.
Its ambition—to outpace adversaries in every operational domain—is matched only by the complexity of its realization. Whether the program fulfills its potential or falls victim to the very factors it aims to overcome will depend on disciplined management, agile policy execution, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. By the numbers As the world’s first fifth generation fighter and still the most powerful air superiority fighter on earth, the NGAD will be directly compared against the F-22.
The planned features of the new F-47 promise to make the fearsome Raptor pale in comparison. Allvin said the F-47 will have a ”significantly longer range” and “represents a significant advancement over the F-22,” and the modular design that will allow it to be “a dominant platform for decades to come.” He also said that the NGAD “will cost less and be more adaptable to future threats—and we will have more of the F-47s in our inventory.
” So in the absence of any data from Boeing about their sixth-generation fighter, let’s see the technical details of what it will be competing against: F-22A Raptor Contractors: Lockheed Martin and Boeing (production partner) Initial Operational Capability (IOC): December 15, 2005 Total Produced: 195 Current Inventory: 185 Dimensions Wingspan: 44.5 ft (13.56 m) Length: 62 ft (18.
90 m) Height: 16.6 ft (5.06 m) Weight Maximum Takeoff Weight: 83,500 lb (37,875 kg) Powerplant Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines Thrust (each): 35,000 lb (155.
7 kN) Performance Top Speed: Mach 2 (2,470 km/h or 1,535 mph) Supercruise: Capable Ferry Range: 1,850+ miles (2,977+ km) with two external wing fuel tanks (extended with aerial refueling) Service Ceiling: Above 50,000 ft (15,240 m) Implications for the future The F-47 demonstrates the Air Force's ambition to go above and beyond small, gradual improvements. By leaving the F-22 Raptor in the dust, the USAF’s NGAD will change the parameters of air superiority as well as debut the first fighter that can fly both manned and unmanned sorties. Experts believe that maintaining US air power depends on the F-47's design.
The flight envelope, designed for greater performance but also greater endurance, will allow for expanded operations far from supporting assets. AI-driven autonomy also radically changes the aircraft's ability to manage data, freeing pilots to concentrate on tasks that are vital to the mission. Improved stealth, increased range, and smaller logistical footprints are just the tip of the iceberg in operational advantages.
Commanders will be given a single platform that can connect to naval assets, forward bases, and other stealth platforms. As the premier air warfare platform, the F-47 will be at the forefront of the USAF's fleet for decades to come. The F-47, taken as a whole, is a significant rethinking of air combat.
It encourages more integrated combat using cutting-edge electronic instruments and drones. The new fighter raises the standard for the next era of air combat, while Boeing's selection reflects trust in one of America’s oldest and greatest aircraft manufacturers..
