President Donald Trump has officially announced that Boeing will take the lead in developing the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet.
The advanced aircraft, designed to outpace current fighter capabilities, will feature groundbreaking stealth and penetration technologies essential for future conflicts, particularly those involving China.
The initial production contract for the Air Force version is valued at approximately $20 billion.
New era of air domincance
The NGAD fighter jet, which will be designated the F-47, is set to serve as the centerpiece of future aerial warfare.
It will act as a manned control hub, coordinating with a fleet of drone aircraft capable of infiltrating advanced air defense systems.
According to Gen. David Allvin, chief of staff of the Air Force, this platform will shape the next chapter of modern aerial combat.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that this new fleet sends a strong message to allies and adversaries alike regarding the U.S.’s continued global military presence.
Critics question the cost and need for NGAD fighter jet
Despite the excitement surrounding the F-47, the program has faced criticism.
Analysts have raised concerns about the cost, given that the F-35 program has already proven to be one of the most expensive in military history, with projected lifetime expenses exceeding $1.7 trillion.
Additionally, the Pentagon’s future B-21 Raider stealth bomber, which incorporates many of the same cutting-edge technologies, is already underway with a planned fleet of around 100 aircraft at an estimated total cost of at least $130 billion.
Dan Grazier, a military procurement analyst and director of the national security reform program at the Stimson Center, told Associated Press that the $20 billion contract is merely the starting point, predicting eventual expenditures in the hundreds of billions.
He also questioned whether another highly sophisticated manned fighter is the optimal solution given the increasing focus on drone and space warfare.
Future-focused capabilities
The NGAD fighter is designed to bring unparalleled low observability, advanced propulsion, and longer range compared to existing fighter jets such as the F-35.
Early prototypes have reportedly been in testing for the past five years. Renderings released by Boeing and Lockheed Martin depict a sleek, tail-less aircraft with a sharp, stealth-optimized nose.
A future unmanned variant of the NGAD is also planned, as artificial intelligence capabilities continue to evolve.
While the Air Force version has been awarded to Boeing, a separate competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman remains underway for the Navy’s version of the NGAD.
A prior review initiated by former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall assessed whether the NGAD program, first conceptualized in 2018, remained relevant in the face of recent warfighting advances.
The study concluded that the program is indeed necessary. Kendall deferred the decision on the contract award to the incoming Trump administration, who ultimately made the announcement.
As the Pentagon looks to future conflicts, the NGAD platform stands as a monumental step in securing U.S. air superiority for decades to come.
