F-47: USA presents futuristic fighter jet

Washington D.C. (USA) - This aircraft is intended to ensure the superiority of the US Air Force for years to come. Now the Pentagon has officially unveiled the planned sixth-generation fighter jet. What is known about the Boeing F-47.

The F-47 is a sixth generation jet. So far, only renderings of the new jet have been published.
The F-47 is a sixth generation jet. So far, only renderings of the new jet have been published.  © Rendering/US Air Force

Donald Trump (78) took the opportunity to present a poster of the new jet to the general public in the Oval Office. "Nothing in the world even comes close to it, and it will be known as the F-47," said Trump.

The aircraft is a sixth-generation jet, has advanced stealth capabilities, improved sensor technology and superior air combat capabilities, according to the Air Force. Because the new platform is modular, the jet can be quickly adapted to changing requirements.

But probably the most important feature of the new jet is its ability to operate in conjunction with unmanned aircraft. The so-called Collaborative Combat Aircrafts (CCA) are equipped with artificial intelligence and can carry additional weapons. The US military presented a preview of the future CCA as early as 2023 with the XQ-58 Valkyrie experimental aircraft .

The F-47 is set to replace the US armed forces' current air superiority fighter, the F-22 Raptor, and will be operational in the next decade. The USA currently has a fleet of 183 F-22s. The stealth jet was put into service in 2005.

Striking detail: The aircraft appears to have so-called canards as tailplane and a wing in V-position. This indicates a delta wing and high maneuverability.
Striking detail: The aircraft appears to have so-called canards as tailplane and a wing in V-position. This indicates a delta wing and high maneuverability.  © Rendering/US Air Force
The planned aircraft is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor.
The planned aircraft is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor.  © RADOSLAW JOZWIAK / AFP
The Kratos XB-58 Valkyrie provides a first glimpse of the unmanned companion aircraft (CCA)
The Kratos XB-58 Valkyrie provides a first glimpse of the unmanned companion aircraft (CCA)  © U.S. Air Force

Donald Trump wants to see the plane in the air while he is still in office.

Donald Trump showed off the new plane in the Oval Office.
Donald Trump showed off the new plane in the Oval Office.  © Anna Moneymaker / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The F-47 has been under development since the mid-2010s as part of the NGAD ("Next Generation Air Dominance") program. However, the project was recently put on ice. Only Donald Trump changed that. Prior to this, China had unexpectedly presented its own design for a sixth-generation fighter jet

Now the 20 billion dollar (18.4 billion euro) order for the F-47 has gone to the military division of the Boeing Group. In total, the project is likely to be worth a three-digit billion sum.

Competitor Lockheed Martin had also bid for the contract. However, the relationship between the designer of the F-22 and F-35 and Donald Trump is rumored to have broken down, which is probably why the company came away empty-handed. Aircraft manufacturer Northrop Grumman pulled out beforehand, apparently wanting to concentrate on its new B-21 Raider stealth bomber .

Meanwhile, the designation F-47 for the new jet is probably no coincidence. Donald Trump is the 47th President of the USA. Donald Trump on the project: "Hopefully these great planes will be built and in the air during my term of office." The first flight could take place in 2028.