Boeing wins $20bn contract for Next Generation Air Dominance programme
President Donald Trump has awarded Boeing the contract to build the US Air Force's most sophisticated fighter jet.
The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme will replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor with a crewed aircraft built to enter combat alongside drones.
The plane's design remains a closely held secret, but would likely include stealth, advanced sensors, and cutting-edge engines.
The US president said the new jet will be called the F-47.
"We've given an order for a lot. We can't tell you the price," he told reporters in the Oval Office.
"Our allies are calling constantly," Mr Trump added, saying foreign sales could be an option. "They want to buy them also.
"Compared to the F-22, the F-47 will cost less and be more adaptable to future threats – and we will have more of the F-47s in our inventory," said Chief of Staff of the Air Force General David Allvin.
The engineering and manufacturing development contract is worth more than $20bn. The deal winner will eventually receive hundreds of billions of dollars in orders over the contract's multi-decade lifetime.
NGAD was conceived as a "family of systems" centred around a sixth-generation fighter to counter adversaries such as China and Russia.
Billionaire and presidential adviser Elon Musk has voiced scepticism about the effectiveness of crewed high-end fighters, saying cheaper drones were a better option.
Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Join Our Newsletter
