You’ve probably seen the sleek, tailless renderings floating around the internet for years. They looked like something out of a sci-fi flick. But honestly, the reality of the US gen 6 fighter—now officially dubbed the F-47—is much more complicated than just a cool-looking plane. It’s not just a "better F-22." It’s basically a complete rethink of how the US plans to control the sky, and it’s finally moving out of the "what if" phase and into actual hardware.
In March 2025, the game changed. President Trump announced that Boeing won the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) centerpiece. They’re calling it the F-47. The name is a nod to the old P-47 Thunderbolt from WWII and the founding year of the Air Force, 1947. But don't let the retro name fool you. This thing is meant to be the apex predator of the 2030s.
Why the F-47 is a Massive Departure
For a long time, the Pentagon was stuck. They knew the F-22 Raptor was aging, and China’s J-20 was catching up. But the cost was terrifying. We’re talking $300 million per plane. That’s roughly three times the price of an F-35. Because of that price tag, the Air Force actually paused the program in 2024 to see if they could make it cheaper or even remove the pilot entirely.
They eventually decided they still need a human in the cockpit. Why? Because in a high-end fight against a "pacing challenge" like China, electronic warfare is going to be brutal. You can’t always rely on a remote link. You need a brain on the scene. Major General Joseph Kunkel recently noted that after looking at every other option, there simply was no "viable option" other than a crewed sixth-gen jet to survive tomorrow’s air defenses.
It’s a "Family," Not Just a Jet
The most important thing to understand about the F-47 is that it doesn't fly alone. It’s the quarterback of what the military calls a "Family of Systems."
- The F-47: The crewed, stealthy "sensor-shooter" that makes the big decisions.
- Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA): These are the "loyal wingmen." Cheap, autonomous drones that carry extra missiles or act as decoys.
- The Cloud: A massive, high-speed data link that connects the jet to satellites and other planes.
Basically, if an F-47 goes into combat, it’ll likely have two to five drones flying with it. If a missile comes their way, the pilot can tell a drone to go take the hit. It's a cold way to look at it, but it keeps the expensive human and the even more expensive jet alive.
The Tech Under the Hood
What actually makes a "sixth generation" fighter different? It’s not just the shape.
Adaptive Engines
Pratt & Whitney and GE Aerospace are currently fighting over who gets to power this thing. They’re working on something called the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP). These engines are wild. They can switch between a high-thrust mode (for dogfighting or speed) and a high-efficiency mode (for long-range cruising).
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Current jets are stuck with one or the other. If you want speed, you burn fuel like crazy. The F-47 is being designed for the Pacific, which is huge. It needs to fly from Guam to the Taiwan Strait, stay there for a while, and get back. That requires an engine that can "shape-shift" its airflow.
Spectral Dominance
Forget just "stealth." Being invisible to radar isn't enough anymore because infrared and acoustic sensors are getting too good. The F-47 uses advanced materials and thermal management to hide its heat signature. It also uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) sensors that can jam enemy radar while simultaneously scanning the entire sky.
The 2026 Budget War
The money is where things get messy. In the 2026 budget proposal, the Pentagon is putting its money where its mouth is. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pitched $3.5 billion just for F-47 development this year.
To pay for it, the Air Force is making some painful trades. They’re slashing the number of F-35s they’re buying—down to just 24 in 2026. They’re also finally retiring the entire A-10 Warthog fleet. It’s a "buy the future, kill the past" strategy.
| Program Component | 2026 Requested Funding | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| F-47 (NGAD) | $3.5 Billion | Design, prototyping, and EMD phase |
| CCA Drones | $807 Million | Developing the autonomous wingmen |
| NGAP Engines | $1.3 Billion (approx) | Finalizing XA103 and XA100 prototypes |
What about the Navy?
The Navy has its own version called the F/A-XX. For a while, they were going to build their own separate plane. But honestly, the 2026 budget effectively shelved the F/A-XX to focus on the Air Force’s F-47.
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There is a $74 million "placeholder" in the budget to keep the Navy’s design teams from quitting, but the rumor in the Pentagon is that the Navy might just end up buying a modified, carrier-capable version of the F-47. It saves billions, though the Navy traditionally hates using Air Force gear.
The Reality Check
We have to talk about the risks. These are "aggressive designs," as former Secretary Frank Kendall put it. We are trying to integrate AI, laser weapons (potentially), and brand-new engine tech all at once. Boeing has struggled with its defense contracts lately—look at the KC-46 tanker or the T-7 trainer. Giving them a $20 billion contract for the most advanced plane in history is a massive bet.
Also, China isn't sitting still. They are working on their own sixth-gen fighter, likely a successor to the J-20. The race isn't just about who has the better plane; it's about who can get the AI software to work first. If your drone wingman can't "think" fast enough to protect you, the F-47 is just an overpriced target.
Actionable Insights for Following the Program
- Watch the CCA Awards: The drones will actually enter service before the F-47. Keep an eye on companies like Anduril and General Atomics. If the drones fail, the F-47 concept falls apart.
- The First Flight: The Air Force expects a full-scale prototype of the final F-47 design to fly by 2028. Any delay in that date usually means a massive cost overrun is coming.
- Engine Choice: Once the Air Force picks between GE’s XA100 and Pratt’s XA103 (likely in late 2026), that will tell us exactly what the performance priorities are—range versus raw power.
The F-47 is basically the Pentagon's "all-in" hand. They are sacrificing current fleet numbers (F-35s and F-15s) to ensure they have the dominant technology 10 years from now. It’s a risky gamble, but in the world of high-end airpower, coming in second place isn't really an option.