The United States is set to take a major step in fighter jet technology with its first officially-announced sixth-generation fighter, the F-47. The US Air Force (USAF) Chief, General David Allvin, said Boeing has started building a prototype of the F-47, which is expected to make its first test flight by 2028.
Speaking at the 2025 Air, Space & Cyber Conference of the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA), General Allvin said the F-47 represents the next era in air dominance. “In just a few months, Boeing started building the first prototype. They’ve worked for years to get to this point… With years of research, hundreds of test hours, and the efforts of thousands of people in the lab, President Trump announced the F-47. This is the platform that, along with the rest of the next-generation air dominance system, will ensure our advantage in the future,” he said.
The experimental F-47 prototype has already been tested, with some flight trials reportedly dating back to 2019. Boeing began building the first airframe six months after the US President awarded the company the contract to develop a crewed fighter under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
The F-47 will supplement older US fighters, such as the F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22, and F-35, rather than replace them entirely. It is the first fighter aircraft fully designed and developed by Boeing in-house since the company’s merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Previous Boeing-developed fighters, like the F-15EX, were updates to older designs.
The development comes as other global powers also advance in sixth-generation fighter technology. China has already developed two prototypes, the J-36 and J-50, one of which was showcased at the Zhuhai Airshow in late 2024. These Chinese jets feature advanced stealth, tailless designs, and triple-engine configurations, showing that the next era of air combat will be defined by innovation and stealth capabilities.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
