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Trump awards Boeing contract for 'sixth-generation' F-47 jet | Trump awards Boeing contract for 'sixth-generation' F-47 jet |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Watch: Trump awards Boeing contract for new F-47 fighter jet | Watch: Trump awards Boeing contract for new F-47 fighter jet |
President Donald Trump has awarded Boeing a multi-billion dollar contract to build the US Air Force's most advanced fighter jet, the Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft. | President Donald Trump has awarded Boeing a multi-billion dollar contract to build the US Air Force's most advanced fighter jet, the Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft. |
Trump described the high-speed stealth aircraft, dubbed the F-47, as the "most lethal aircraft ever built" and said a version has been secretly flying for the last five years. | Trump described the high-speed stealth aircraft, dubbed the F-47, as the "most lethal aircraft ever built" and said a version has been secretly flying for the last five years. |
The jet will replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 with an aircraft that is also designed to fly alongside unmanned drones in combat, Trump announced at the White House. | The jet will replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 with an aircraft that is also designed to fly alongside unmanned drones in combat, Trump announced at the White House. |
The exact value of the contract remains undisclosed, but it is a boost for Boeing, which has struggled with sluggish commercial and military sales, as well as high-profile safety issues. | The exact value of the contract remains undisclosed, but it is a boost for Boeing, which has struggled with sluggish commercial and military sales, as well as high-profile safety issues. |
The design of the "sixth-generation" aircraft remains a closely guarded secret, but reportedly includes high advanced sensors and engines in addition to their stealth capabilities. | |
An artistic rendering alongside Trump in the Oval Office of the White House only showed a small part of the aircraft and front landing gear. | An artistic rendering alongside Trump in the Oval Office of the White House only showed a small part of the aircraft and front landing gear. |
"There's never been anything even close to it, from speed to manoeuverability, to what it can have, to payload," Trump said. | |
The president also mentioned that the US military had selected the number 47 - which he described as a "beautiful number" - for the aircraft. He is the 45th and 47th President of the US. | |
"The generals picked that title," he said. | "The generals picked that title," he said. |
The Boeing deal also marks a defeat for competitor Lockheed Martin, which was recently eliminated from a separate competition to build a next-generation aircraft for the US Navy. | The Boeing deal also marks a defeat for competitor Lockheed Martin, which was recently eliminated from a separate competition to build a next-generation aircraft for the US Navy. |
Sales of the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation aircraft, could also be threatened by mounting trade tensions between the US and its allies abroad. | Sales of the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a fifth-generation aircraft, could also be threatened by mounting trade tensions between the US and its allies abroad. |
Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has asked Defence Minister Bill Blair to review its purchase of the aircraft, which was developed with Canada as a partnership. | |
In Portugal, the country's outgoing defence minister told local media that the country is re-thinking a purchase of F-35s to replace its older aircraft as a result of "recent positions" taken by the US government. | In Portugal, the country's outgoing defence minister told local media that the country is re-thinking a purchase of F-35s to replace its older aircraft as a result of "recent positions" taken by the US government. |
Each F-35 costs about $85m (£65.8m), with the price rising up to $150m once spare parts and support infrastructure are included. | |
About 1,100 of the aircraft have been built, and F-35s are in service with 16 militaries around the world. | |
Several countries are reportedly now mulling purchasing aircraft from European manufacturers such as Dassault and Saab, even if those aircraft lack the stealth capabilities of the F-35. | Several countries are reportedly now mulling purchasing aircraft from European manufacturers such as Dassault and Saab, even if those aircraft lack the stealth capabilities of the F-35. |
Elon Musk, a key ally of Trump's, has previously expressed scepticism of manned aircraft. | Elon Musk, a key ally of Trump's, has previously expressed scepticism of manned aircraft. |
He was at the Pentagon ahead of the F-47 announcement on Friday, on a visit which Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said was about cost-cutting. |
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