USAF chief of staff teases Boeing F-47 performance, fleet size
A graphical representation of the Boeing F-47, announced as winner of the USAF's NGAD contest in March 2025. The aircraft will have a range of over 1,000 n miles, according to USAF Chief of Staff General David Allvin. (USAF)
General David Allvin, the US Air Force (USAF) chief of staff, released a graphic on social media on 13 May claiming that the newly selected Boeing F-47 will boast a combat radius of over 1,000 n miles and a top speed greater than Mach 2. The graphic also partially discloses the USAF's intended F-47 operating fleet size of at least 185 aircraft.
The graphic also claims that the aircraft will become operational between 2025 and 2029. Boeing had previously told Janes that the F-47's first flight would be conducted before the 2029 end of the current presidential administration, which the USAF confirmed to Janes on 13 May.
The graphic contrasts fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation fighters, including fleet size, approximate top speed, and rough stealth characteristics. For example, the Lockheed Martin F-35 is described as a multirole aircraft capable of reaching Mach 1.6, with a 670 n mile combat radius and ‘stealth' characteristics, while the Lockheed Martin F-22 is described as an air superiority fighter capable of Mach 2+ speed with a 590 n mile combat radius and ‘stealth+' characteristics. The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems YFQ-42 and Anduril YFQ-44 are listed as sixth-generation air superiority aircraft, with a ‘700+' n mile combat radius, classified top speeds, and ‘stealth' characteristics. The F-47, atop other statistics, is characterised as ‘stealth++'.
Go beyond the headlines - with direct links to interconnected entities
Get full access to validated equipment, military capabilities, and market insights.
