Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin teased several new characteristics of the forthcoming F-47 advanced fighter jet in a recent social media post.
Gen. Allvin said in a post on X that the Air Force plans to build more than 185 of the advanced stealth jets he described as the next-generation air dominance fighter.
“Our @usairforce will continue to be the world’s best example of speed, agility, and lethality,” the four-star general said. “Modernization means fielding a collection of assets that provide unique dilemmas for adversaries — matching capabilities to threats — while keeping us on the right side of the cost curve.”
According to the post, the F-47 will be operational from 2025 to 2029 and have a combat radius of more than 1,000 nautical miles.
It will also be supersonic, with top speeds of more than Mach 2 or twice the speed of sound.
The F-47 will also have greater radar-evading stealth characteristics than the jet it will replace, the F-22, first flown in 1997.
The Air Force chart described the F-22 as having “Stealth +” capability, while the F-47 will boast of having “Stealth ++” — though the enhanced capability was not further defined.
The F-22 was designed for use in a conflict against China and was canceled after 187 jets were built in favor of the multiservice F-35.
The 590 nautical mile range F-22 employs a “super cruise” system that allows it to fly long distances, fire long-range missiles and have enough fuel to return to base.
The F-47, which will replace the F-22 has 40% more range and greater capability to penetrate advanced air defense networks.
Details on the new jet were listed on a chart that also showed 4th generation F-15E, F-15X and F-16 jets along with 5th generation F-35s and the F-22.
Also listed on Gen. Allvin’s chart of future air power were two unmanned fighter aircraft, the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A. The drones are envisioned to operate alongside piloted aircraft as a more affordable way to increase firepower.
President Trump announced in March that Boeing will build the new F-47, calling it “the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet.”
“Nothing in the world comes even close to it,” Mr. Trump said, describing it as the most advanced, capable and lethal combat aircraft platform ever built.
• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.