US Air Force selects base for future F-47 stealth fighter

The United States Air Force has reportedly designated a base for its future F-47 sixth-generation stealth fighter. While the specific location remains classified for security reasons, the Department of the Interior has contracted Versar Inc. to conduct a two-year environmental impact study required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

Industry analysts suggest Langley-Eustis Air Force Base in Virginia is a primary candidate, as it currently hosts the F-22 Raptor fleet that the F-47 is intended to replace. The development program, part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, aims to have its first prototype in flight before January 20, 2029.

The aircraft is expected to feature adaptive cycle engines from GE and Pratt & Whitney. General Dale White of the Air Force Materiel Command recently noted that the program is progressing with unusual maturity.