Boeing’s F-47 expected to fly by 2028, says USAF Chief of Staff
An artistic rendering of the F-47 aircraft. (Image: USAF)
Boeing has started the manufacturing work on its F-47 sixth-generation fighter jet with the aircraft expected to fly by 2028, the US Air Force (USAF) Chief of Staff Gen David Allvin has said.
Speaking at the Air and Space Forces Association’s (AFA) conference on 22 September, Allvin said that the USAF is ready to “go fast” to field the aircraft.
Boeing had previously disclosed plans that it would expand its manufacturing facilities in St Louis ahead of the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme F-47 contract being awarded.
A 1.1 million ft² factory in St Louis costed at US$1.8 billion, the newest build
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
-
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
AFA 2026: US Air Force examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
-
Europe risks losing control of CUAS production capacity as manufacturers look abroad
European counter-drone developers are securing early orders in the Middle East while slow domestic acquisition processes threaten to redirect production capacity, expertise and investment away from Europe.
-
India’s rotary-wing capability gap grows as IMRH programme delays persist
With IMRH and DBMRH potentially years from service, India faces a widening rotary-wing capability gap that could drive further foreign purchases even as HAL and Safran build the foundations of an indigenous successor.