U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced today that the first airframe for the F-47, the service’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter, is already under construction. Speaking at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Gen. Allvin stated that the first flight of the revolutionary aircraft is expected to take place in 2028. This rapid progress follows the contract award to Boeing in March of this year, a decision personally announced by President Donald Trump.
The F-47, which will serve as the successor to the F-22 Raptor, represents a new era in air dominance. While many details of the highly classified program remain secret, some key performance metrics have been revealed. The aircraft is designed to have a combat radius of over 1,000 nautical miles, a significant improvement over existing fighters, allowing it to operate in highly contested environments far from friendly airbases.
It is also expected to achieve speeds in excess of Mach 2, with advanced stealth capabilities and a design built to be more adaptable to future threats than its predecessors.
The Next-Generation Air Dominance program is not just a single aircraft but a “family of systems.” The F-47 is intended to act as the centerpiece of this network, operating in conjunction with a fleet of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs), or “loyal wingmen.” This manned-unmanned teaming concept is seen as a crucial element for maintaining air superiority in the coming decades. The Air Force has plans to acquire a significant number of these new aircraft, with a planned production run of more than 185 units, which would match or exceed the size of the F-22 fleet that it is designed to replace.
The announcement of the F-47’s progress underscores the Air Force’s commitment to accelerating modernization to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested global landscape. Gen. Allvin emphasized the need to “go fast” in the development and production of the F-47, particularly in light of global security concerns and the rapid advancement of military capabilities by potential adversaries. The program has been a top priority for the U.S. government, with a significant budget allocated for its development and production. The successful and swift transition from contract award to manufacturing demonstrates a streamlined acquisition process aimed at getting this critical capability into the hands of warfighters as quickly as possible. The F-47 is poised to redefine air combat, ensuring the U.S. retains its technological edge in the skies for generations to come.
