The Pentagon has selected Boeing’s project in the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) competition to develop a promising sixth-generation fighter, designated the F-47.

This announcement was made by US President Donald Trump during a live broadcast.

Boeing’s fighter project surpassed its competitor, Lockheed Martin, which had previously won contracts for two earlier-generation fighters, the F-22 and F-35.

The Pentagon will award Boeing a contract to develop the F-47 under the NGAD program, investing over $20 billion in the development and production of the aircraft.

The NGAD program aims to replace the F-22 Raptor fleet with a manned aircraft capable of conducting combat operations in close cooperation with drones.

The details of Boeing’s new aircraft’s design and specifications remain confidential, but it is expected to feature advanced stealth technology, cutting-edge sensors, and a new engine.

Militarnyi previously reported that the Pentagon was exploring ways to reduce the cost of the fighter under the NGAD program.

The cost could be lowered by sacrificing range and payload, though this approach would likely require the aircraft to work in tandem with the now-canceled NGAS stealth tanker aircraft. Therefore, this strategy seems unlikely.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters that the price limit for the aircraft would be comparable to the cost of the F-35, with the most expensive models priced at around $100 million.

“We haven’t set any specific price threshold,” he said, adding, “I’ll just tell you this from what I can remember: The F-35 is the upper limit of what we’re willing to pay.”