In a major announcement from the White House, President Donald Trump revealed that Boeing has been awarded a multi-billion-dollar contract to build the United States’ newest and most advanced fighter jet, the F-47. This sixth-generation aircraft, part of the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, is expected to redefine air combat, giving the U.S. a powerful edge in the face of growing threats from nations like China. The new jet will eventually replace the F-22 Raptor, and according to Trump, it is unlike anything the world has ever seen.
“In terms of all of the attributes of a fighter jet, there’s never been anything even close to it, from speed to maneuverability, to what it can have to payload,” Trump declared during the unveiling.
But what do we really know about the F-47 so far? When will it be ready? How many will the U.S. buy? And how does it compare to China’s own secretive sixth-generation aircraft, the J-36?
What is the F-47?
The F-47 is the U.S. military’s most ambitious fighter jet project since the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II. Designed under the NGAD initiative, the F-47 is a manned stealth aircraft built to dominate future battlefields. It will not operate alone, it’s designed to fly alongside advanced drones known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs), forming a networked team of crewed and uncrewed platforms.
While the exact design of the F-47 remains classified, an artist’s rendering shown during the White House announcement revealed some intriguing features: highly angled wings reminiscent of Boeing’s secretive YF-118G “Bird of Prey” stealth demonstrator, a broad shovel-like nose, and possibly forward canard surfaces. These design elements suggest an aircraft optimized for stealth, long-range flight, and high-speed agility.
Trump called the F-47 “the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built,” adding that “it’s something the likes of which nobody has seen before.”
“This is the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet,” Trump said. “It has been in the works for a long period of time. An experimental version has secretly been flying for almost five years.”
This statement aligns with what many experts believed since 2020, when Air Force officials revealed that a full-scale flight demonstrator for NGAD had already flown in secret.
How Soon Will the F-47 Enter Service?
According to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, who stood beside President Trump at the Oval Office announcement, the first F-47s could enter service before the end of Trump’s current term in 2029.
“These experimental aircraft have demonstrated the innovations necessary to mature the F-47’s capabilities,” Allvin stated. “We knew we were making the right investment for America.”
The engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the program is now underway. This phase includes building a limited number of aircraft for testing, which will lead to a low-rate initial production run.
Much of the production infrastructure is already being prepared. Trump noted that Boeing has made large investments at its St. Louis, Missouri, facility, saying, “They’ve already built much of what has to be built in terms of production, including the sheds.”
How Many F-47s Will the U.S. Build, and How Much Will They Cost?
The Air Force has not released an official number, but the F-47 fleet will be larger than the F-22 fleet, which was capped at 180 aircraft before that program ended in 2011. The unit cost of each F-47 remains secret, but past estimates put the price tag at over $300 million per jet, making it potentially the most expensive fighter in history.
The total program cost, including research and development, could easily surpass $50 billion. President Trump declined to give an exact figure.
“We can’t tell you the price, because it would give away some of the technology and the size of the plane,” he said.
Still, Trump noted that several allies had already expressed interest in purchasing a downgraded export version of the F-47.
“We’d like to tone them down about 10 percent, which probably makes sense,” he added. “Because someday, maybe they’re not our allies, right?”
This would mark a major shift in U.S. policy. The F-22 Raptor was never exported due to its sensitive technology. Allowing the F-47 to be sold to foreign allies, even in a limited version, would be a significant departure.
Boeing’s High-Stakes Comeback
Winning the F-47 contract is a huge victory for Boeing, which has faced years of setbacks, including delays in its Air Force One program and safety crises in its commercial aircraft division. Boeing reportedly made the “most significant investment in the history of [its] defense business” to prepare for this contract.
“We are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission,” said Steve Parker, interim president and CEO of Boeing’s defense division.
Lockheed Martin, the maker of the F-22 and F-35, had also been competing for the NGAD contract. The loss is a blow to the company, especially as its fifth-generation F-35 fighter has faced increasing criticism from U.S. allies over cost and political concerns.
“While disappointed with this outcome, we are confident we delivered a competitive solution,” Lockheed Martin said in a statement. “We will await further discussions with the U.S. Air Force.”
China’s J-36: A Stealthy Challenger
While the U.S. moves forward with the F-47, China is aggressively developing its own sixth-generation aircraft, unofficially known as the J-36 or JH-XX. Recently, new footage surfaced online showing the J-36 flying over the city of Chengdu, where it is being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
Though unconfirmed by Chinese officials, the J-36 appears to have a tailless flying wing design, similar to stealth bombers, with a three-engine configuration for added thrust and range. The jet may be capable of launching hypersonic weapons and drones, and could play a dual role as a fighter and a bomber.
According to Chinese experts quoted by the Global Times, the short time between test flights suggests that China is making rapid progress.
“If the footage turns out to be authentic, it would mean that the new aircraft is making smooth progress with test flights in short intervals,” said military analyst Song Zhongping.
The design is meant to reduce radar signature and improve survivability in high-threat environments, just like the F-47. With its large internal bays and sophisticated control surfaces, the J-36 is likely designed to carry heavy payloads and operate in contested areas like the South China Sea.
Comparing the F-47 and the J-36
While much remains secret about both jets, experts are starting to draw comparisons. Here are some key points:
Stealth: Both aircraft use tailless designs and advanced materials to remain hidden from enemy radar.
Speed: Trump hinted that the F-47’s speed is “over two,” likely referring to Mach 2 speeds. The J-36’s top speed is unknown.
Maneuverability: The F-47 is expected to have superior agility, possibly aided by canards and advanced flight control software. The J-36 also uses software-based stability to manage its stealthy design.
Drone Integration: The F-47 is built from the ground up to work with semi-autonomous drones. The J-36 may have similar capabilities, though China has not confirmed this.
Payload: The J-36’s large internal bays suggest a heavy weapons load, while the F-47 is also designed for deep strike missions and long-range combat.
Both nations clearly see sixth-generation airpower as critical to future warfare.
“The fight looks fundamentally different with NGAD than without it,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel of the U.S. Air Force. “We tried a whole bunch of different options, and there was no more viable option than NGAD to achieve air superiority in this highly contested environment.”
What This Means for the Future
With the F-47, the United States is entering a new era of aerial warfare. For decades, the U.S. has enjoyed dominance in the skies, but China’s rapid development of the J-36 shows that the gap is narrowing. The race is no longer just about speed or stealth, it’s about controlling entire networks of aircraft, sensors, and drones.
If all goes according to plan, the F-47 will be ready by the end of the decade, working as part of a larger “combat ecosystem” that includes uncrewed drones, electronic warfare platforms, and next-gen missiles.
Trump summarized the challenge ahead clearly:
“There’s no other nation. We know every other plane. I’ve seen every one of them. And it’s not even close. This is the next level.”
But in a world where China’s “ginkgo leaf” stealth jet is already in the skies, the next level may arrive faster than anyone expected. FAM Editor: Keep in mind that even if China has managed to steal the plans for the F-47, their defense industry is relatively immature. We believe the Chinese aircraft will not measure up to the F-22, much less a more advanced system. The Chinese military maybe leaking photos and video of their new aircraft, but we sense it is more smoke and mirrors. But this could be the beginning of a U.S. defense industry boom. Trump has already announced major efforts in shipping, not in the Air Force, perhap the Space Force will be next.
