The President referred to the F-55 as both a potential upgrade to the Lockheed F-35 and a completely new development. His comments seemed to reflect recent discussions from Lockheed Martin about creating a “best value” alternative after losing a contract to Boeing for the replacement of the F-22 superfighter.
Trump also highlighted the significance of the newly introduced F-47 air dominance platform, which Boeing has recently been awarded. He stated that the U.S. is also exploring enhancements to the F-22 stealth fighter, which the F-47 is designed to replace.
“We’re going to do an F-55 and – I think, if we get the right price, we have to get the right price – that’ll be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35, and then we’re going to do the F-22,” Trump said. He praised the F-22 as “the most beautiful fighter jet in the world” and confirmed plans to develop a modernised version, stating, “We’re going to be going with it pretty quickly.”
The F-47, awarded to Boeing, represents America’s most advanced sixth-generation fighter, integrating a crewed aircraft supported by drones. Boeing secured the contract after defeating Lockheed Martin in the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) competition. Lockheed had also been eliminated from another competition for a new U.S. Navy stealth aircraft.
Lockheed Martin, following its unsuccessful bid for the F-47, has been exploring a “fifth-generation-plus” fighter that would incorporate technology initially proposed for the F-47. CEO James Taiclet explained that Lockheed plans to adapt the F-35, achieving “80% of the capability for half the cost.” “We’re basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari,” Taiclet told analysts.
A Lockheed spokeswoman expressed appreciation for the President’s endorsement. “We thank President Trump for his support of the F-35 and F-22 and will continue to work closely with the Administration to realize its vision for air dominance,” she said.
Defence analysts are uncertain how Trump’s statements align with existing military plans and budgets. Nick Cunningham, an aerospace analyst with Agency Partners, speculated that the F-55 might relate to the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX programme, which aims to replace the ageing Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet with a new sixth-generation stealth fighter.
There is ongoing debate about funding upgrades for the F-22, given the high costs associated with revamping an out-of-production model. Trump’s reference to a two-engine design suggests that the F-55 might not be a straightforward adaptation of the single-engine F-35, but rather an entirely new platform.
Source: Reuters.
