Boeing awards contract for US air force’s F-47 sixth-generation fighter

The US Air Force has officially embarked on its journey into the future of aerial combat with the awarding of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) contract to Boeing, marking a major milestone in the development of the sixth-generation F-47 fighter.

The announcement was made by President Donald Trump during a joint appearance with Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The F-47, which follows the fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35, will be more advanced, featuring cutting-edge technologies that aim to define the next era of air combat. This contract is historic, being the first significant award in over two decades since the F-35 contract was granted to Lockheed Martin. It is widely believed that the F-47 could be the final manned fighter ever developed by the U.S. Air Force, as the future of combat aviation appears increasingly poised for unmanned systems.

The contract, valued at an initial $20 billion for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, is only the beginning. Once the F-47 is operational, Boeing could see substantial financial returns, potentially amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars over the aircraft's service life. The cost of each individual fighter is expected to reach "hundreds of millions" of dollars, although that figure is subject to change, as the Air Force has recently paused the program to address cost-efficiency concerns.

While many specifics of the F-47 remain under wraps, the new fighter promises to be an exceptional leap forward in terms of capability. The sixth-generation fighter is set to incorporate advanced digital technologies, such as high-capacity networking, artificial intelligence, data fusion, and battlefield command, control, and communications (C3) systems. These features will enhance the fighter's operational flexibility, allowing it to conduct cyber warfare and adapt to rapidly changing combat scenarios.

One of the standout features of the F-47 is its versatility. It is expected to operate both manned and unmanned, either controlled remotely by a human operator or autonomously by AI. This dual functionality will provide unprecedented flexibility and adaptability in combat, and could shape the future of air combat as we know it.

Additionally, the F-47 will be a stealth aircraft with an ultra-low radar-cross-section (RCS), making it nearly invisible to enemy radar. It will also feature advanced variable-cycle engines that enable fuel-efficient super cruising, with thrust capabilities surpassing the aircraft's weight.

Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the F-47 is its integration with unmanned drone wingmen, designated as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs). The F-47 will be able to operate alongside these drone wingmen, a feature that is likely to become the centerpiece of the NGAD program. While drone cooperation is already a concept in military aviation, this formal integration represents a significant advancement, setting the stage for the future of coordinated manned-unmanned operations in the skies.

The F-47’s development signals a clear trend in the evolution of military aviation—one that increasingly relies on unmanned systems and AI-driven capabilities. While manned flight operations will likely continue for years to come, the trend toward automation is unmistakable, and the "seventh-generation" fighter could very well eliminate the need for a cockpit altogether, with AI piloting the aircraft.

As the F-47 begins its development, the US Air Force is positioning itself to maintain its air dominance well into the future. With Boeing at the helm, the F-47 promises to push the boundaries of what is possible in modern aerial warfare, marking a defining moment in the history of air combat technology.

By Vafa Guliyeva