US looking at development of twin-engine warplane

US President Donald Trump revealed new developments in US military aviation outlining plans for a new twin-engine warplane dubbed the F-55, as well as an upgraded version of the F-22 Raptor, known as the F-22 Super.

Speaking during a business leaders' summit attended by executives from Boeing and GE Aerospace in Doha, Trump said the United States was considering both the development of a next-generation F-55 fighter jet and a modernisation of existing air power capabilities, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"We're going to do an F-55 and - I think, if we get the right price, we have to get the right price - that'll be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35, and then we're going to do the F-22. I think the most beautiful fighter jet in the world is the F-22 but we're going to do an F-22 Super and it'll be a very modern version of the F-22 fighter jet," he said.

The proposed F-55, according to Trump, would function both as a significant upgrade to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 stealth fighter and as a new platform altogether. He emphasised the importance of securing favourable pricing before moving forward.

The announcement comes just a day after Trump unveiled a series of business deals, including Qatar’s purchase of 160 Boeing commercial jets, reinforcing ties between US defence contractors and Gulf allies.

Trump also referenced the F-47, a newly announced air dominance platform awarded to Boeing earlier this year. Designed as a successor to the F-22, the F-47 is reported to feature a piloted fighter accompanied by autonomous drones, positioning it as a central component of America's sixth-generation air combat strategy.

The president hinted that development on both the F-22 Super and F-55 could begin “pretty quickly,” marking a potential acceleration in US efforts to modernise its air fleet amid growing global military competition.

By Sabina Mammadli