US Air Force says F-47, B-21 and CCA programs stay on schedule

F-47 B-21 Raider Collaborative Combat Aircraft US Air Force first flight 2028

The United States Air Force announced at the Life Cycle Industry Days conference in Dayton, Ohio, that its three flagship combat‑aviation programs remain on track. General Dale White said the Boeing F-47 sixth‑generation fighter has entered the engineering and manufacturing development phase with “unprecedented” maturity and is slated for its first flight in 2028. The Northrop Grumman B‑21 Raider bomber is also progressing, with industrial capacity up 25 % and an operational deployment planned for Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota by 2027. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) effort is moving into early production; Anduril’s Fury and General Atomics’ FQ‑42A prototypes are now being built, with a production line designed for up to 150 aircraft per year and the goal of fielding more than 150 CCA units by the end of the decade. The open‑architecture approach of the CCA program reduces reliance on single suppliers and allows multiple firms to compete on software and mission systems.

Entities

Anduril Industries · Boeing · Dale White · Donald Trump · F-47 (sixth‑generation fighter) · General Dale White · Northrop Grumman · United States Air Force

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) effort aims to develop adaptive‑cycle engines with higher thrust and fuel efficiency. interestingengineering.com
[● 2 SOURCES] President Donald Trump approved the development of the sixth‑generation fighter in March 2025. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[● 2 SOURCES] The F-47 features a modular architecture that allows integration of new technologies and long‑range strike capabilities. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[● 2 SOURCES] Boeing expects the first flight of the sixth‑generation F-47 fighter in 2028. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[● 2 SOURCES] The F-47 is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor with a planned fleet of 185 aircraft. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[● 2 SOURCES] The program received $3.45 billion for FY 2026 and a request of over $5 billion for FY 2027. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[● 2 SOURCES] The U.S. Air Force has moved the F-47 program to the technical and production development phase. businessam.be · fr.businessam.be
[○ 1 SOURCE] If NGAP engines are not ready, the first F-47 may be equipped with an interim or existing engine for initial production. interestingengineering.com