Boeing's F-47 Stealth Fighter Accelerates Toward 2028 First Flight, Leveraging Secret X-Plane Testing
- MM24 News Desk
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Boeing Defense executives reveal the F-47 sixth-generation fighter program is accelerating rapidly, with the first aircraft already in production and a planned first flight in 2028. The program's unprecedented pace stems from years of secret testing with experimental X-plane demonstrators that flew "hundreds of hours" to mature revolutionary technologies for the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
The future of American air power is taking shape on factory floors faster than many anticipated. With the first Boeing F-47 stealth fighter now in production, company officials are highlighting how years of clandestine prototyping have positioned the program for remarkable speed. The breakthrough came in March when the U.S. Air Force selected Boeing to build the crewed fighter component of its pivotal Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
Winning the NGAD competition was "humbling" and "transformational," said Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security, during a media roundtable ahead of the 2025 Dubai Airshow. The fact that the F-47 is already in production so soon after the award is a testament to "the maturity of our design and pedigree coming off the prototype," he explained, reported The War Zone.
The program's accelerated timeline—targeting a first flight in 2028—was made possible by extensive testing of classified X-plane demonstrators. While Parker declined to discuss specific flight test dates, he emphasized the company is focused entirely on execution. "We're in a good spot," he stated, underscoring the confidence within Boeing.
The technological foundation was laid by Boeing's Phantom Works, the company's advanced projects division that Parker reorganized into its own division last year. This secretive skunk-works-style operation developed and flew demonstrator aircraft that provided critical validation years before the production contract was awarded.
Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin previously revealed the scope of this preparatory work, stating, "For the past five years, the X-planes for this aircraft have been quietly laying the foundation for the F-47 — flying hundreds of hours, testing cutting-edge concepts, and proving that we can push the envelope of technology with confidence."
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) added that both Boeing and Lockheed Martin X-planes flew "several hundred hours each" during NGAD evaluation.
Parker positioned the F-47 program as a model for Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's "arsenal of freedom" initiative, which prioritizes speed in military acquisition. "Here you have an example with the F-47 where Boeing is building highly classified facilities in the billions of dollars of our own investment, before we actually won the contract," Parker noted, highlighting the company's risk-taking commitment.
The F-47 represents a quantum leap in capability over existing fighters. The aircraft is planned to have a combat radius in excess of 1,000 nautical miles, reach speeds above Mach 2, and feature next-generation "broadband" stealth that minimizes both radar and infrared signatures. Perhaps most significantly, it will serve as a command node controlling teams of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones in high-threat environments.
With the Air Force planning to acquire at least 185 F-47s as a successor to the F-22 Raptor, and with China's own sixth-generation fighter programs advancing rapidly, the pressure is on to field this new capability quickly. While only two official renderings have been released—and officials caution they may not accurately represent the classified final design—the F-47 is steadily progressing from shadowy demonstrator to production reality.
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