Boeing has been formally awarded the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft for the US Air Force, known as the F-47.
The contract was announced by US President Donald Trump at a briefing from the White House where he said: “I’m thrilled to announce that, at my direction, the United States Air Force is moving forward with the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet,” said President Donald J. Trump during a press briefing at the White House. “Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it’ll be known as the F-47.”
The Boeing F-47 will use next generation stealth technology along with sensor fusion and long-range strike functionality and will replace the F22 Raptors currently in service.
Boeing says that the Sixth generation fighters will have significantly longer range than the fifth generation F22 and should cost less to build.
The designation 47 was chosen to honor the famous P-47 which provided air dominance in World War II but President Trump also being the 47th president is surely no coincidence.
The contract will be a big boost for Boeing as it looks to return to profitability and gives security to the fighter production line in St Louis, Missouri.
