Boeing beats out Lockheed to scoop NGAD $20 billion contract
The F-47 sixth-generation aircraft will stand as the “crown jewel” in the USAF, according to Air Force Secretary General David W. Allvin. (Photo: Boeing)
Designated ‘F-47’, the sixth-generation fighter will serve as a replacement for Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor, currently in service with the USAF.
The US Pentagon has awarded the contract for its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme to Boeing, President Donald Trump has announced.
Boeing’s award comes after years of delays to the programme, which was originally launched in 2014. Designated as the ‘F-47’, Trump commented that the crewed fighter jet “will be the most lethal aircraft ever built”. An experimental version of the plane has been flying for “over five years” according to the President.
Described as a ‘family of systems’ NGAD is the USAF’s answer to a sixth-gen air superiority programme that is centred around a fixed-wing crewed fighter aircraft,
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?]()
Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?
Demand signals for counter-drone technology are strong and the market is becoming crowded, but is this really the beginning of a new phase of warfare or will commentators be talking about something else 10 years from now?
-
![The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth]()
The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth
Total annual drone spending has increased nearly sixfold since the start of the decade, from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $16.3 billion in 2028, with Europe leading the rise.
-
![July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough]()
July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026 revealed the growing scale of the UK’s uncrewed ambitions, with companies showcasing new CCA, autonomous wingmen and surveillance drones, while sovereign production emerged as a key factor for multiple programmes.
-
![July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop]()
July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop
The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.
-
![FIA 2026: Bell highlights MOSA-driven growth path for MV-75 Cheyenne]()
FIA 2026: Bell highlights MOSA-driven growth path for MV-75 Cheyenne
Bell Flight’s modular open-systems approach for the US Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne could open doors for international allies and suppliers once locked out by closed rotorcraft architectures.
