Key Points and Summary – The Air Force’s F-47 NGAD could cost as much as $300 million per jet—far above the “F-35-like” price leaders want.
-Congress is funding both the manned fighter and its Collaborative Combat Aircraft wingmen, but the combined bill could crowd out other priorities, including the Navy’s F/A-XX and even the number of B-21 Raiders.
B-21 Raider Bomber. Image from U.S. Air Force and edited with AI software.
-One plan is to retire legacy aircraft to free cash, yet that risks trimming NGAD features or slowing schedules.
-With fielding expected in the early 2030s, the program also needs steady support through shifting politics and budgets. If costs stay high, Air Force may buy fewer jets.
The F-47 NGAD May Not Be Worth $300 Million Per Fighter Jet
Could the new F-47 NGAD cost $300 million per airplane? That’s what the estimate was late last year under the Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall of the Joe Biden administration. Kendall had even placed the NGAD research and development efforts under review in 2024 due to the high price tag. But President Donald Trump loves the sixth-generation fighter jet and dubbed it the F-47. After all, he is the 47th president.
The NGAD is Trump’s baby and will define a substantial part of his national security legacy.
The United States would like to spend around the same amount on the F-47 as it does on the F-35 Lightning II, at least under $100 million each.
But $300 million is a non-starter and would take up so much budget space that the US Navy could not afford the new sixth-generation F/A-XX, which is currently on hold due to the unknown cost of the F-47.
Shown is a graphical artist rendering of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The rendering highlights the Air Force’s sixth generation fighter, the F-47. The NGAD Platform will bring lethal, next-generation technologies to ensure air superiority for the Joint Force in any conflict. (U.S. Air Force graphic)
Shown is a graphical artist rendering of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform. The rendering highlights the Air Force’s sixth generation fighter, the F-47. The NGAD Platform will bring lethal, next-generation technologies to ensure air superiority for the Joint Force in any conflict. (U.S. Air Force graphic)
What About the B-21 Raider?
The high price tag of the F-47 could also affect the number of B-21 Raiders produced. The Air Force would like to have at least 100 new stealth next-generation strike airplanes, and some have called for as many as 150 B-21s.
Esteemed Budget Analyst Says US Is ‘Doubling Down’ on the F-47
Where is all this money going to come from? Mackenzie Eaglen, an American Enterprise Institute defense budget expert, analyzed the latest FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) from Congress. She wrote that the Air Force is “doubling down” on the F-47. There will be full funding for the acquisition of new aircraft, and the NGAD will receive the money the White House has requested.
The F-47 will also be capable of conducting manned-unmanned teaming with a combat drone called the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The CCA is also funded entirely by the NDAA.
“To arrest the Air Force’s readiness ‘doom loop, ‘ the service needs to retain some legacy tails while not spending too much on its oldest gear, while going full steam ahead on a sixth-generation fighter and maintaining a cheaper force multiplier plane,” Eaglin wrote for the National Security Journal.
The Air Force will be able to pay for the F-47 by retiring legacy aircraft such as the A-10 Warthog. The savings can be plowed into the F-47.
F-47 Infographic. Image Credit: U.S. Air Force
What Is Great About the NGAD?
The NGAD is an interesting concept and could fly in the next two years. It will have ultra-stealth coatings, could reach speeds between MACH 2.5 and MACH 3, be highly maneuverable, and deliver nuclear-tipped hypersonic missiles. The F-47 will fly with the B-21 and enable a one-two punch during a Day One attack on enemy targets with the NGAD. The CCA can use its robust electronic warfare systems to blind and spoof enemy radar, enabling follow-on attacks by the F-47 and B-21.
But the Air Force and Boeing could be forced to scrimp on or discard some features of the F-47 to save money if the price per tail exceeds $300 million. CCAs may cost around $25 to $30 million apiece. That’s about one-third of the total for a manned fifth-generation fighter jet. That could mean the entire F-47 and CCA system could force the service branch to spend up to $330 million.
Does the F-47 Have Too Many Expensive Features?
The F-47 is less effective without the CCA, and Congress agrees that the Loyal Wingman drone should be fully funded. That means other features, like artificial intelligence in the NGAD cockpit, could be curtailed, or the ability to power the NGAD with powerful engines that could enable MACH 3 flight could be diminished.
Don’t Forget the Navy’s New Sixth-Generation Fighter
That leaves the Navy in the lurch concerning its F/A-XX. The maritime branch desperately needs a new airplane to keep up with China’s two sixth-generation airplanes – the J-36 and J-50. The aircraft carrier showdown in the Indo-Pacific will be critical, and the Navy wants air dominance. Congress has set aside $1.4 billion for the F/A-XX program, but Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is less enthusiastic and prefers more dollars for the Air Force’s F-47.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, above the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 14, 2022. The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation aircraft that combines stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, integrated avionics, and is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances, and deter regional aggressors while deployed in the USCENTCOM AOR. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Frank Rohrig)
I want the F-47 and CCA as badly as Trump, but there must be a way to decrease the price on these systems. Plus, it is only fair to the Navy to have the F/A-XX, too. Meanwhile, the B-21 Raider is on time and under budget so far, with two bombers already flying.
The good news is that the F-47 is still in the conceptual stage, even though the Air Force says it could fly as early as 2028 if Boeing meets that deadline. I have called for pushing that optimistic timeline back a year to incorporate all the features and capabilities.
My favorite advantage is its ability to launch hypersonic nuclear missiles. This would help strengthen the US nuclear triad.
The F-47 Needs a Decade of Budget Support
However, $300 million is too much, and along with the cost of the CCA, there wouldn’t be enough in future budgets to cover it. Kendall may be wrong in his high-dollar estimate, and Boeing is confident that it can deliver the goods on time and within a more affordable budget.
Trump is behind the F-47, as are Members of Congress. This effort will need to be long-lasting, though. The F-47 will not enter active duty until the early 2030s.
That means successive NDAAs must be filled with dollars for the NGAD. Plus, the composition of Congress may change after the 2026 midterm elections. With Democrats in charge of the Armed Services Committees, the opposing party may be against Trump’s F-47.
The F-47 Could Have Its Wings Trimmed
We will keep the F-47’s price in mind in future budget analysis articles. The NGAD is having a moment, and its funding looks solid, but spending over $300 million on an airplane would make for a bloated program that could negatively affect other American aircraft under development.
Trump may be sorry that he has placed so much of his political capital behind it, only to see the sixth-generation fighter die on the vine.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Author of now over 3,000 articles on defense issues, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
