Former US President Donald Trump has announced the Pentagon’s decision to proceed with the development of the next-generation fighter jet, designated the F-47, marking a significant advancement in American air dominance. Speaking from the Oval Office alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump confirmed that Boeing had been awarded the contract for the new sixth-generation fighter aircraft, CNN reported.
“At my direction, the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet—number six, sixth generation. Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it’ll be known as the F-47,” Trump stated.
He described the F-47 as “the most advanced, most capable, and most lethal aircraft ever built”, further revealing that an experimental version of the jet had been secretly flying for nearly five years.
“We’re confident that it massively overpowers the capabilities of any other nation,” he added.
Trump confirmed that after a rigorous competition among major American aerospace companies, Boeing secured the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program—the US military’s initiative to develop a successor to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
“After a thorough competition between some of America’s top aerospace companies, the Air Force is awarding the contract for the next-generation air dominance platform to Boeing,” Trump said.
Until now, the program had been referred to as NGAD, but Trump personally announced that the aircraft would be designated the F-47. Normally, the Air Force determines the official naming of military aircraft.
“It’s something the likes of which nobody has seen before,” he claimed, emphasizing that the project had been in development for a long time.
The NGAD program aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter superior to the F-35, which has faced significant cost overruns and delays. However, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has been vocal in his criticism of traditional fighter jets, advocating instead for unmanned drone swarms as a more cost-effective and superior alternative.
In a November social media post, Musk wrote, “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.” His comments have fueled debate over the future of air combat and the role of autonomous drones in modern warfare.
With the Pentagon’s decision, the F-47 is set to become the next centerpiece of US air dominance, though its effectiveness and strategic impact remain to be seen.
