Trump picks Boeing for F-47 fighter jet contract

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that Boeing has been awarded a major contract for the Air Force's high-tech next-generation F-47 fighter plane. The contract is aimed at continuing the development of the replacement for the F-22 stealth warplane -- which has been in operation for some two decades -- with a new, more advanced aircraft that will be able to operate alongside uncrewed drones. "After a rigorous and thorough competition between some of America's top aerospace companies, the Air Force is going to be awarding the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform to Boeing," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office. He said the price of the contract could not be revealed for security reasons. "Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it'll be known as the F-47, the generals picked a title, and it's a beautiful number, F-47," said Trump, who is the 47th president of the United States.

Trump announces world’s FIRST 6th generation fighter jet

It’ll be called F-47

Contract given to Boeing

Right decision to trust Boeing? https://t.co/EARGpU9PXu pic.twitter.com/csAFy5KXWk

— RT (@RT_com) March 21, 2025

The announcement is a boon for Boeing, which faced a difficult last year in which it struggled with a lengthy labor strike and safety problems. The NGAD effort was paused in 2024 over cost concerns -- a major focus of the Trump administration, which has tasked billionaire donor Elon Musk with slashing government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).The F-47 will replace the F-22 Raptor aircraft, the development of which dates to the 1980s. The F-22 features stealth technology, a high degree of maneuverability and the ability to supercruise, or maintain supersonic flight without afterburners.