Sixth-Generation Fighter: What It Is and Who Is Building One
Sixth-generation fighter explained: what separates it from the F-22 and F-35, the Air Force’s F-47, the GCAP jet and other programs.
Short answer: A sixth-generation fighter is the next class of combat jet after today’s fifth-generation stealth fighters such as the F-22 and F-35. The term has no single official definition, but the programs share common goals: better stealth, longer range, advanced sensors and the ability to fly alongside drone “wingmen.” The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing the contract to develop the F-47 on March 21, 2025, and the UK, Italy and Japan are jointly building the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) jet, targeted to enter service in 2035.
Last updated: October 28, 2026
- U.S. Air Force: F-47, developed by Boeing; contract announced March 21, 2025
- What it replaces: the F-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s current air superiority fighter
- UK, Italy and Japan: GCAP, targeted for service in 2035
- Drone partners: Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), named FQ-42 and FQ-44
- Official claims for the F-47: longer range, more advanced stealth and lower cost than the F-22
- Specifications: not published by the Air Force
What “sixth generation” means
Fighter “generations” are an informal way of grouping aircraft by technology. Fifth-generation fighters combine stealth, sensor fusion and advanced avionics. The F-22 and F-35 are the main U.S. examples, compared in our guide to the F-22 vs F-35.
Sixth-generation programs aim to go further. The Air Force describes the F-47 as designed “to integrate next-generation stealth, sensor fusion, and long-range strike capabilities.” A defining feature is teaming with uncrewed aircraft. The Department of Defense’s announcement describes the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program as “a network-connected family of systems,” including a stealth fighter, drone technology and other components.
The F-47: America’s sixth-generation fighter
The Air Force announced on March 21, 2025, that Boeing had won the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract for the NGAD platform. The fighter was named the F-47. The Air Force had paused the program in May 2024 to review its plans before making the award.
The Air Force says X-planes built with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have flown “hundreds of hours” over the past five years, testing stealth, range and autonomous systems for the F-47.
In a statement on the award, then-Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin said that compared with the F-22, the F-47 “will cost less and be more adaptable to future threats,” and that the Air Force would have more F-47s than F-22s. He added that it “will have significantly longer range, more advanced stealth, be more sustainable, supportable, and have higher availability than our fifth-generation fighters.”
No costs or production timelines were released at the announcement, according to the Department of Defense. Our report on the F-47 test campus at Nellis follows the program’s progress.
F-22 vs F-47 at a glance
The F-22 figures come from the Air Force F-22 fact sheet. The Air Force has not published F-47 specifications, so that column lists only official claims.
| Feature | F-22 Raptor (5th generation) | F-47 (6th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | Lockheed Martin, Boeing | Boeing |
| Status | Operational since December 2005 | In development (contract awarded March 2025) |
| Range | More than 1,850 miles ferry range with two external tanks | “Significantly longer range” than fifth-generation fighters (official claim) |
| Speed | Mach 2 class, with supercruise | Not published |
| Stealth | Low-observable design | “More advanced stealth” (official claim) |
| Unit cost | $143 million | Not published; Air Force says it will cost less than the F-22 |
| Drone teaming | Not a design feature | Built to work with Collaborative Combat Aircraft |
| Inventory | 183 (as of August 2022) | Not published |
Drone wingmen: Collaborative Combat Aircraft
Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) are uncrewed jets meant to fly with crewed fighters. The Air Force has named its first two designs the FQ-42 Vengeance and FQ-44 Fury, and its newsroom has reported CCA arriving at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada for operational integration. Gen. Allvin described the F-47 as “built to adapt, along with our Collaborative Combat Aircraft.” For a wider look at drones and autonomy, see our report on military technology in 2026.
Other sixth-generation programs
GCAP (UK, Italy and Japan). The UK Ministry of Defence said on July 3, 2026, that a £4.6 billion contract had been awarded to Edgewing, an industry joint venture, to advance the aircraft’s design. The ministry says the jet is “targeted to enter service in 2035,” and that the UK will invest £8.6 billion in the program over four years. In the Royal Air Force, it is planned to work alongside Typhoons, F-35s and autonomous systems.
U.S. Navy F/A-XX. The Navy is pursuing its own sixth-generation carrier fighter. Our report on the F/A-XX contract covers the latest developments.
China. No official specifications have been published for any Chinese sixth-generation aircraft. China’s current stealth fighter is covered in our J-20 explainer.
Peter’s World’s view
“Sixth generation” is partly a marketing label, and the most specific public numbers still belong to the jets these programs replace. What the official sources do show is a shift in how air combat is planned: the fighter is now described as one node in a system that includes drones, sensors and networks. The F-47’s cost and schedule, neither of which has been published, will decide whether the Air Force can buy more F-47s than F-22s, as it says it will.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sixth-generation fighter?
It is the class of fighter jets being developed to follow fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35, with goals including better stealth, longer range, advanced sensors and teaming with drones.
Does the U.S. have a sixth-generation fighter?
The Air Force’s F-47 is in development. Boeing won the engineering and manufacturing development contract on March 21, 2025.
Who makes the F-47?
Boeing builds the F-47 under the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance program.
Will the F-47 replace the F-22?
Yes. The Department of Defense says the NGAD platform is intended to eventually replace the Air Force’s F-22 fleet.
What is GCAP?
GCAP, the Global Combat Air Programme, is a joint UK, Italy and Japan project to build a sixth-generation combat aircraft, targeted to enter service in 2035.
What are Collaborative Combat Aircraft?
They are uncrewed jets designed to fly with crewed fighters. The Air Force has named its first two designs the FQ-42 Vengeance and FQ-44 Fury.
This article was written by Peter with AI assistance and checked against the sources linked. See our AI use disclosure.
Sources
- Department of Defense: Air Force’s next-generation fighter announced
- U.S. Air Force: Contract awarded for NGAD platform F-47
- U.S. Air Force: Gen. David Allvin statement on NGAD
- U.S. Air Force: F-22 Raptor fact sheet
- UK Government: GCAP international contract announcement
