The World’s largest aerospace company and American multinational corporation, Boeing, has started building the first F-47, a sixth-generation stealth fighter for the United States Air Force. 

The jet is expected to take its first flight in 2028. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin shared the update during his keynote at the Air and Space Forces Association’s 2025 Air, Space and Cyber Conference on Monday.

The program is part of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) effort, which will replace the F-22.

Boeing Starts F-47 Production

In March, US President Donald Trump announced Boeing as the winner of the contract for the crewed fighter element of NGAD.

He also revealed that experimental F-47 prototypes had been tested in secret for years, with the first reported flight dating back to 2019.

Just six months after Trump’s announcement, the contractor has already begun building the first airframe.

The Air Force expects the jet to take its first flight in approximately two years, according to Allvin, the service’s top officer, who is set to retire later this fall.

“In just a few months, they are already manufacturing the first article”, Allvin said.

He stressed the years of work that led to this point. “After years of research, hundreds of test hours, and thousands of man-years in the lab, the President announced the F-47. It is the platform that, along with the rest of the Next Generation Air Dominance systems, will secure our advantage for the future,” he said.

Allvin added that the pace of progress is deliberate. “We are ready to go fast. We have to go fast.”

Allvin highlighted the importance of the platform and its supporting systems. He said they will secure air dominance for the future.

The NGAD program is not just about a new aircraft. It also covers the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones, next-generation engines, advanced weapons, electronic warfare systems, sensors, and networking tools. The effort includes new ways to battle and connect every piece of the force.

Boeing’s First All-New Fighter in Decades

Boeing has won its first contract for a completely new fighter design since merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997.

Unlike the F-15EX and other recent fighters, which were updates of older McDonnell Douglas models, this program starts from a clean sheet. That means designing the aircraft from scratch to meet the Air Force’s specific needs.

According to Steve Parker, Interim President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, the company has made its largest-ever investment in defense.

He added that Boeing is ready to deliver the most advanced next-generation fighter for the Air Force.

“We understand the importance of designing, building, and delivering a sixth-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force”, Parker said.

World’s First Sixth-Generation Fighter

The US Air Force calls the F-47 the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft. Very little is publicly known about it. The program is highly classified.

What is expected, though, is cutting-edge technology. The F-47 will feature advanced stealth capabilities, powerful new engines, and next-generation weapons.

It will operate alongside autonomous drones, known as collaborative combat aircraft. The fighter is also expected to use artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and hypersonic capabilities.

Images released by the Air Force and Boeing suggest a tailless design. The F-47 could fly over 1000 nautical miles and reach speeds above Mach 2, or more than 1500 miles per hour. Other details about its design remain secret.

For the Drone Wingmen program, the Air Force has selected two designs. Anduril’s YFQ-44A, nicknamed ‘Fury’, and General Atomics’ YFQ-42A. Fury is expected to take its flight soon, according to reports.

In May, Allvin stated that the service plans to purchase at least 185 F-47 fighter jets. That number would match or even exceed the current F-22 fleet.

Allvin stressed that winning future wars requires more than just having planes in the sky. The Air Force must completely dominate any adversary. He said the F-47 will give them that edge.

“You can not just stick the jab”, Allvin said. “You have to make sure your adversary knows you can put them on the canvas.”

China: A Key Adversary

US officials see China as a serious technological competitor.

“I expect some Chinese analysts are spending a lot of time looking at this picture. Good luck trying to dig something out of there. They are pretty careful about that”, the US Secretary of the Air Force said, showing a screenshot of an F-47.

China is far more advanced than countries like Iran. This is one reason the US is pushing programs like the F-47.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping aims to have his military ready to act against Taiwan by 2027. Official US assessments say he has not yet decided to move.

“We are focused on tomorrow. The plan is in place. We need to keep moving”, said Air Force Chief General Allvin.

“A lot is changing. It’s natural to pause and take stock. But we can’t get too comfortable. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. The adversary isn’t standing still. When the President asks if we can still do it, we need to answer, Absolutely yes.”

China’s New Stealth Jets Take To The Sky

Allvin’s announcement came at a tense moment in the air. The US and China are both pushing hard for air superiority.

Just three weeks earlier, China had shown off its newest fighter jets. The lineup included upgraded J-15 variants, such as the J-15T, J-15DH, and J-15DT, which are electronic warfare aircraft.

The parade also revealed the J-35, China’s second fifth-generation fighter, designed for its newest carrier, the Fujian.

On September 3, during a parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, China publicly displayed these carrier-based jets for the first time.

State broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday that the J-15T, J-35, and the KJ-600 early warning and control aircraft had successfully completed catapult launch and landing tests on the Fujian.

China is also working on sixth-generation fighters. Leaked photos and videos suggest the existence of two new advanced jets, designated the J-36 and J-50, which feature three engines and a tailless design.

In December last year, a new jet was seen flying over Chengdu. Experts believe it is the J-36, which was built by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. It has no tail and an unusual three-engine layout.

Another prototype, possibly the J-50 from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, appeared the same day near a northern plant. This jet has V-shaped wings and twin engines.

Footage and images suggest China is testing these two sixth-generation stealth fighters. Analysts say the flights signal China’s push to close the technology gap with the US.

The Chinese jets are still in the prototype stage. Landing gear and test probes are visible. However, since sixth-generation concepts were first spotted in 2022, development has been progressing rapidly.

Many nations are racing to develop sixth-generation aircraft. The US and China each have two sixth-generation aircraft programs underway.

France, Germany, and Spain are working on a joint project called Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Separately, the UK, Italy, and Japan are collaborating on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

These aircraft are set to redefine air combat, and Dogfighting is entering a new era.