USA News: US President Donald Trump has officially announced the construction of the sixth-generation fighter aircraft. On March 21, he announced this ambitious project with Defense Minister Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office of the White House. According to Trump, this fighter jet will be named F-47, developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project.
The F-47 will replace the F-22 Raptor of the US Air Force. The NGAD system will be a state-of-the-art network-connected platform, including stealth fighter jets, drone technology and other modern components. The project was started in 2020 but was stopped due to excessive cost. Now, the Trump administration has decided to restart it.
The Cost Of The NGAD Project Will Be High
Former US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who was in his post during the Biden administration, has said that the cost of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project could be three times more than that of the F-35 fighter jet. According to him, the cost of building an NGAD fighter jet can be estimated at up to $300 million.
In September 2022, General Mark D. Kelly, head of the US Air Combat Command (ACC), revealed that China is already building a new fighter aircraft to counter the US NGAD project.
It is worth noting that on December 26, 2024, China unveiled its sixth-generation fighter jet, Chengdu J-36. However, until now, not much information has been available about this fighter jet’s features and technical capabilities.
Potential Capabilities Of F-47 Fighter Jet
Some of its important features were revealed when the sixth-generation fighter aircraft was first proposed in the US. The F-47 fighter jet will have advanced technology, components, electronics, and super-powerful engines.
Boeing will now be given $20 billion to design and develop this fighter jet. According to reports, the following state-of-the-art technologies will be used in the F-47:
Broad Spectrum Stealth – Advanced stealth technology to protect the aircraft from radar detection.
Next-Generation Power Plants – Modern engines for greater speed and efficiency.
Guided Energy Weapons – Laser and microwave-based weapon systems.
Unified Electronic Warfare System – Ability to disrupt enemy radar and communication systems.
Alternate Manning – Facility to operate manned or without a pilot per the mission requirement.
The arrival of the F-47 will likely bring a major change in America’s air combat capability and will play an important role in next-generation war operations.
Will The Price Of The F-47 Fighter Jet Be Reduced?
US Air Force General Allwine says that the cost of the F-47 stealth fighter developed under the NGAD program will be less than that of the F-22. This aircraft will be fully suitable for dealing with future threats. In the Eurasian Times, Vijayendra K Thakur wrote that General Allvin described the F-47 as more durable. This means that this time, the US Air Force is trying its best to avoid the mistakes made in constructing the F-35 fighter jet. Precise planning and strict inspection are followed in creating the F-47 to control costs so that this aircraft is economical and performs better.
Trying To Avoid Mistakes Like F-35 In The Development Of F-47
In May 2023, US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said, We will not repeat the mistakes made during the F-35 program. When the US Air Force decided to build the F-35 fighter jet, Lockheed Martin was given its contract. In this project, the US Air Force was not given the right to access all the data related to the fighter aircraft. According to the contract terms, the company that developed it remained its owner throughout its lifecycle.
Kendall termed it a permanent monopoly, which caused the US Air Force to face many challenges. This time, the US government will continue to supervise the construction of the NGAD fighter jet (F-47). Boeing has been asked to share every technical data with the US Air Force. US President Donald Trump did not give any clear information about the cost and timeline of this project in the press conference. However, Trump said that a large-scale development of the F-47 was done during his tenure. This part will be in the air, meaning its initial testing will be done soon.
