US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Boeing will build the future fighter jet F-47 for the US Air Force.
Trump announced the contract award of the sixth-generation fighter jet at the White House alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth said the future fleet "sends a very clear and direct message to our allies that we are here to stay and we will not retreat."
Boeing won a contract worth more than $20 billion to build the F-47 fighter jet, beating out its competitor Lockheed Martin.
Critics have questioned the cost and necessity of the program, especially given that the Pentagon is still struggling to fully produce its newest fighter, the F-35, which is expected to cost taxpayers more than $1.7 trillion over its lifetime.
TRUMP: "The F-47 will be the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built. An experimental version of the plane has secretly been flying for almost five years and we're confident that it massively overpowers the capabilities of any other nation." pic.twitter.com/kaEA7YzEyv
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) March 21, 2025
In addition, the Pentagon's future stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, will share many of the same highly advanced technologies, including advanced equipment, artificial intelligence, propulsion, and stealth capabilities.
The Pentagon says the F-47 will have stealth and penetrating capabilities far beyond those of the current fleet, making it essential in any potential conflict with China. The manned aircraft, known as the Next Generation Air Dominance Aircraft, will serve as the leader of a fleet of future drones designed to penetrate China's air defenses and other potential adversaries.
.@POTUS: "The F-47 will be the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built. An experimental version of the plane has secretly been flying for almost 5 years and we're confident that it massively overpowers the capabilities of any other nation." pic.twitter.com/J33fjUogs5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 21, 2025
The initial contract to begin production of a version for the Air Force is estimated at approximately $20 billion.
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