Military The U.S. Invests Heavily in the Future of Fighter Jets: F-47 NGAD Nears Record Expenditures With billion-dollar investments and secret test flights, the F-47 NGAD is already making its mark in the history books. US Air Force By Mikkel Preisler 29. April 2025 The F-47 NGAD – the American Air Force’s next major fighter jet – has already cost $8.7 billion. Yet, the Pentagon has just requested an additional $400 million for the project. Despite its status as a developmental program, it consumes more money than many completed weapon systems. Boeing gets the task – and builds for the future In March 2025, Boeing was officially selected as the main actor in the NGAD program, where the aircraft was named F-47. The expectation is that investments could reach up to $20 billion. Boeing has already initiated a $1.8 billion expansion of their facilities in San Luis – long before production truly begins. Read also: Test flights in secrecy Demonstrator planes from both Boeing and Lockheed Martin have already flown “hundreds of hours,” according to the U.S. Air Force. However, all testing is conducted in deep secrecy. “It’s about minimizing risk before we proceed with the full-scale prototype,” they say. Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors. Read also: Military See more articles Military US Warships Gather in the Caribbean—But Is Maduro the Real Target? Military Three NATO Countries Bolster Defenses: Belgium, Italy, and Romania Acquire New AIM-9X Missiles for F-35 Military Polish F-16 Crashes During Radom Air Show Rehearsal Military Belgium to Send First F-16s to Ukraine as Early as September Military NATO Pilot Exposed in Love Affair Leak: Shared Secret Info with Serbian Girlfriend Military Chinese ‘Mighty Dragon’ Exposes Weakness in U.S. Radars
The F-47 NGAD – the American Air Force’s next major fighter jet – has already cost $8.7 billion. Yet, the Pentagon has just requested an additional $400 million for the project. Despite its status as a developmental program, it consumes more money than many completed weapon systems. Boeing gets the task – and builds for the future In March 2025, Boeing was officially selected as the main actor in the NGAD program, where the aircraft was named F-47. The expectation is that investments could reach up to $20 billion. Boeing has already initiated a $1.8 billion expansion of their facilities in San Luis – long before production truly begins. Read also: Test flights in secrecy Demonstrator planes from both Boeing and Lockheed Martin have already flown “hundreds of hours,” according to the U.S. Air Force. However, all testing is conducted in deep secrecy. “It’s about minimizing risk before we proceed with the full-scale prototype,” they say.