Latest news with #Next-GenerationAirDominance
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lockheed eyes better stealth, unmanned option for F-35
Advanced stealth capabilities, new weapons and possibly even an unmanned piloting option could be in the works for Lockheed Martin's F-35 as the company seeks to boost the jet with sixth-generation technology. In a webcast of a Wednesday discussion at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference in New York, Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet expressed confidence the company could have a 'meaningful increase' of capabilities for the F-35 ready in two or three years. Lockheed originally developed these technologies as part of its pitch to the Air Force for a Next-Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, fighter. But the Air Force ended up going with Boeing's proposal, and President Donald Trump in March announced NGAD would be called the F-47. Lockheed hopes to salvage its NGAD loss by making the F-35 more capable and attractive. Taiclet has claimed porting its NGAD technology into a 'supercharged' F-35 will allow the company to deliver 80% of the capability of an NGAD fighter at half the cost. In an April earnings call with investors, Taiclet said Lockheed would 'take the [F-35's] chassis and turn it into a Ferrari.' That could include upgrading the F-35's stealth coatings to help it evade infrared and radar signals and tweaking the fighter's outer body shape, particularly its engine inlets and outlets, to make it stealthier, Taiclet said. A fifth-generation-plus F-35 could also have better electronic warfare capabilities, networking and autonomy, which could be used to make the jet 'pilot-optional,' Taiclet said. Some weapons designed for a sixth-generation aircraft could also be folded into the F-35's arsenal, he said. Some of these capabilities could be ready for a first flight and integration into the F-35 in two or three years, Taiclet said, but he cautioned the technology development has to be rolled out in stages. 'You cannot introduce too much new equipment or too much new software at once, necessarily, without interrupting the production flow,' Taiclet said. Lockheed Martin is also looking for ways the F-35 can better interface with other aircraft, including sixth-generation planes, drones such as collaborative combat aircraft and other technologies as part of the Air Force's 'family of systems' concept. 'This is the way to look at the air superiority program of the future,' Taiclet said. 'It's not just plane-to-plane, what's faster, what turns tighter, what's got the longest duration of flight, but how it interacts and can interact with a wider ecosystem to create air superiority.' Taiclet also provided an update on the F-35's Technology Refresh 3 upgrades and the effort to get the newest Joint Strike Fighters ready to fly in combat. The upgrades, also known as TR3, include an improved core processor for the F-35, better memory and a more sophisticated display for pilots. The development of that hardware is done, Taiclet said, and it's being produced at scale by L3Harris. He said the TR3 software integration to tie the new pieces of equipment into the jet is also done. F-35s are now moving through production lines, primarily at Lockheed's Fort Worth, Texas, facility, and are having TR3 hardware and software installed, he said. Those new F-35s are also receiving a new distributed aperture system, which is six antennas positioned around the jet to boost its sensing capability. The distributed aperture system is the first piece of hardware needed for a more significant upgrade known as Block 4. However, integrating that new sensor set and its own software with TR3 has presented a new challenge, and is now 'a little bit behind schedule,' Taiclet said. 'Once that catches up, we think by the end of this year, then all those aircraft that have been delivered will be combat capable, and allowable to be at the front-line base for the services and for our allies,' Taiclet said.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leaders hail Boeing's fighter jet deal as ‘game changer' for St. Louis economy
ST. LOUIS – A big announcement is creating an economic buzz in St. Louis. Leaders from city hall to Congress are calling it historic. On Friday, President Donald Trump awarded Boeing with the contract to build the Air Force's future fighter jet, the F-47. According to the Associated Press, the Pentagon says the F-47 will have stealth and penetration abilities that are far more advanced than the Air Force's current fleet. Community leaders say the F-47 contract not only secures a win for Boeing but will also create thousands of jobs, making St. Louis a critical hub for aerospace innovation. Union leaders say Boeing's win on the F-47 fighter jet is the next generation of air dominance and a significant step forward in the country's defense. Missing Fenton woman identified in suspicious death 'It's awesome for our members,' said DeWitt Darity. 'We are excited that the Boeing company was selected by air force to build the next-generation fighters. It's work for years to come for our membership. We build the best fighter planes in the U.S. and the world.' Local leaders area hailing the decision as transformative for the region. Councilwoman Shalonda Webb says, 'This is a game changer for the families in North County, throughout this region, but specifically here in North County, not only as a company, but also as a great employer. Unfortunately in the fall, there were several thousand people laid off in this region, and now to know that we got this great opportunity, this is a change for the better for a generation.' Councilwoman Rita Heard-Days says, 'This is fantastic for our area. Boeing is a huge employer here. Early on, we passed a charter for 100 bonds to be in this area, so that was successful. And now that we have a $1.8 billion expansion, that's really crucial for this area. So many more jobs.' Missouri U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt also played a pivotal role. 'We had the money to do it and Boeing got it,' said Schmitt. 'This is thousands of jobs for St. Louis, for the hard-working men and women of this community, and when it's all said and done, hundreds of billions of dollars in investments. So it's part of St. Louis and Missouri being the defense tech capitol of the U.S. This is a big win for the region.'Schmitt adds, 'This is a massive investment so with this contract being awarded to Boeing. They are going to be able to continue to invest a higher thousands and thousands of new people to work on this next-generation fighter. This is the most advanced aircraft in the history of the world.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Boeing released a statement about the historic deal: 'The U.S. Air Force announced Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a contract to design, build and deliver its next-generation fighter aircraft. Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform will usher in a new generation of United States fighter jets that brings leap-ahead capability in range, survivability, lethality and adaptability. The NGAD Platform is the central node in the NGAD Family of Systems. 'We recognize the importance of designing, building and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force. In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business, and we are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission,' said Steve Parker, interim president and chief executive officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. For nearly a century, Boeing has produced many of the most advanced combat aircraft for military customers around the globe, including the P-51 Mustang, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler, among others. The NGAD selection builds on Boeing's fighter legacy and establishes a new global standard for 6th-generation capability.' Further information on the NGAD Platform's technical and programmatic details remains classified under United States national security and export laws. A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing's double dose of good news: Fighter jets and cash
Boeing caught a break this week with two pieces of good news that sent its stock up more than 10% over the past five days. The U.S. Air Force on Friday selected the aerospace giant to build and deliver its next suite of fighter jets, beating out other top aerospace companies, namely Lockheed Martin. The Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform is something no other country can match, according to President Donald Trump. "The F-47 will be the most advanced, most capable, most lethal aircraft ever built. An experimental version of the plane has secretly been flying for almost five years, and we're confident that it massively overpowers the capabilities of any other nation," Trump said while announcing the contract along with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Boeing To Build Next-gen 'F-47' Us Fighter Jet, Trump Announces The program is intended to replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. Lockheed shares fell 5.7% for the week. The value of the contract was not disclosed. Read On The Fox Business App "We recognize the importance of designing, building and delivering a sixth-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force. In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business, and we are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission," said Steve Parker, interim president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security. Boeing Ceo Says Musk Helping To Speed Up Delayed Air Force One Jets Other Boeing jets include the F/A-18, F-15 Eagle, B-52 Stratofortress and a modified version of the 747 that is used as Air Force One. The contract is welcome news for Boeing, which has been struggling with a federal probe over quality control issues. In January 2024, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, prompting a domino effect of headwinds, including several whistleblowers who spoke out about manufacturing and safety lapses. Two months later, CEO Dave Calhoun announced his intent to step down at the end of 2024. He was replaced by Kelly Ortberg in August. The second win for Boeing was delivered by Chief Financial Officer Brian West, who told investors Wednesday the company's cash flow is improving. "And then free cash flow, we're seeing less working capital drag. So, that could be better when we close the quarter, and it could be in the hundreds of millions of cash flow better. So, we think we're off to a good start for the year," West said during a presentation at the Bank of America Global Industrials Conference. "Boeing for this year was always going to be about safety, quality and stability. And, so far, we're off to a pretty good start on all three dimensions."Original article source: Boeing's double dose of good news: Fighter jets and cash Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. Air Force Selects Boeing for Next-Generation Air Dominance Fighter Platform
- The NGAD fighter selection builds on Boeing's legacy, establishing a new global standard for 6th generation fighter capability ARLINGTON, Va., March 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air Force announced Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a contract to design, build and deliver its next-generation fighter aircraft. Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform will usher in a new generation of United States fighter jets that brings leap-ahead capability in range, survivability, lethality and adaptability. The NGAD Platform is the central node in the NGAD Family of Systems. "We recognize the importance of designing, building and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force. In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business, and we are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission," said Steve Parker, interim president and chief executive officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. For nearly a century, Boeing has produced many of the most advanced combat aircraft for military customers around the globe including the P-51 Mustang, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler, among others. The NGAD selection builds on Boeing's fighter legacy and establishes a new global standard for 6th generation capability. Further information on the NGAD Platform's technical and programmatic details remain classified under United States national security and export laws. A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity. ContactBoeing Media Relationsmedia@ View original content: SOURCE Boeing Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
U.S. Air Force Selects Boeing for Next-Generation Air Dominance Fighter Platform
ARLINGTON, Va., March 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air Force announced Boeing [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a contract to design, build and deliver its next-generation fighter aircraft. Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Platform will usher in a new generation of United States fighter jets that brings leap-ahead capability in range, survivability, lethality and adaptability. The NGAD Platform is the central node in the NGAD Family of Systems. 'We recognize the importance of designing, building and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force. In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business, and we are ready to provide the most advanced and innovative NGAD aircraft needed to support the mission,' said Steve Parker, interim president and chief executive officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. For nearly a century, Boeing has produced many of the most advanced combat aircraft for military customers around the globe including the P-51 Mustang, F-4 Phantom, F-15 Eagle, F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler, among others. The NGAD selection builds on Boeing's fighter legacy and establishes a new global standard for 6th generation capability. Further information on the NGAD Platform's technical and programmatic details remain classified under United States national security and export laws. A leading global aerospace company and top U.S. exporter, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. Our U.S. and global workforce and supplier base drive innovation, economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing is committed to fostering a culture based on our core values of safety, quality and integrity. Contact
