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Air Force Advances Layered Fighter Plan as Boeing’s F-47 NGAD Takes Shape

The approach spreads risk in contested airspace by assigning distinct roles to a sixth-generation penetrator, upgraded Raptors, an F-35 strike-sensing core.

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team performs a practice airshow performance at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023. The F-35 Demo Team performs rehearsal flights regularly to maintain required flying certifications and to uphold and maintain their mission and Air Force recruiting standards. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kaitlyn Ergish)

Overview

  • Boeing won the Air Force’s NGAD contract in 2025 to build the F-47, a sixth-generation jet designed to lead a family of systems with loyal‑wingman drones.
  • Service planning centers on a three-layer construct featuring the F-47 as a deep-penetration orchestrator, a potential “Super Raptor” F-22 refresh, and the existing multirole F-35 fleet.
  • The contemplated F-22 upgrade focuses on modern processors, electronic warfare capabilities, and improved networking to extend high-end air superiority into the 2030s.
  • Despite program turbulence, the Pentagon continues to back the F-35 as the fighter force’s foundation, even as radar upgrade questions and delayed combat clearances for newly built jets persist.
  • Advocates of the layered design cite greater flexibility, risk distribution across platforms, and a deliberate pivot away from a single-jet solution for air superiority in contested environments.