F-47

The F-47 Program (PE 0207110F) is a major Air Force initiative under the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, specifically within Budget Activity 5: System Development & Demonstration (SDD). The primary goal of the F-47 program is to enable air superiority for the Joint Force in highly contested operational environments projected for 2030 and beyond. This program is a key component of the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) strategy, focusing on developing advanced capabilities in survivability, lethality, persistence, and interoperability, including both crewed and uncrewed teaming.

The main objective of the F-47 program in FY 2026 is to advance through the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, following its transition from Budget Activity 4 to Budget Activity 5 after passing Milestone B approval. This phase involves the design, integration, build, and test of the F-47 aircraft and its supporting systems. The program leverages digital engineering, agile software development, and open systems architectures to accelerate development and ensure adaptability to emerging threats and mission requirements.

Project 656009 is the sole line item within this program element for FY 2026. The funding supports operational concept exploration, technology studies, multi-domain integration assessments, and the maturation and risk reduction of key technologies. These activities are intended to inform and refine operational and system architectures, including the development of a family of systems and platforms designed for spectral dominance.

The program's research and development efforts encompass a wide range of advanced technologies, including autonomy, weapon and mission systems, open architecture standards, terrestrial systems, and integrated training and product support solutions. Prototyping and demonstration activities are central to the program, providing data to inform strategic choices and reduce technical risk before entering full-rate production. The F-47 program also supports the development of government-referenced architectures for standards and interfaces, ensuring interoperability with other Department of Defense (DoD) systems.

F-47 development efforts account for the majority of the FY 2026 budget, supporting continued development, integration, and testing of the F-47 aircraft and related technologies. These efforts are managed through various contract mechanisms, although specific contract details are classified. The program's acquisition strategy emphasizes a top-down, multi-domain approach, with cross-functional teams conducting analysis, demonstrations, and experiments to address current and future air superiority capability gaps.

F-47 acquisition support is also included, covering advisory and assistance services, civilian pay, supplies, and facility-related expenses necessary for program management and execution. These support costs ensure that the program is adequately staffed and resourced to meet its development milestones and deliver required capabilities on schedule.