What Is NGAD? Next Generation Air Dominance Explained

NGAD, short for Next Generation Air Dominance, is the US Air Force programme to replace the F-22 Raptor with a set of systems built around a new crewed fighter, the Boeing F-47. The name is often used as if it meant one aircraft. It does not. From the start the Air Force described NGAD as a family of systems: a fighter, uncrewed aircraft that fly with it, a new engine, weapons, sensors and the networks that link them.

This explainer sets out what belongs to that family, why the Air Force wants it, how it differs from the Navy programme with the same name, and what is funded as of late 2026.

NGAD in brief

Air dominance is the Air Force’s term for controlling the sky well enough that other forces can operate under it. The F-22 has held that job since 2005. NGAD is the plan for what follows.

The work began with a DARPA study in 2014 and moved into classified demonstrator aircraft under a 2015 effort called the Aerospace Innovation Initiative. DARPA has since confirmed that two X-planes flew, the first in 2019 and the second in 2022. In March 2025 the Air Force chose Boeing to develop the production fighter, and gave it the designation F-47. Our overview of what the F-47 is covers the aircraft itself.

So NGAD is the programme and the F-47 is its centrepiece. Since the award, officials and reporters have increasingly used F-47 for the fighter and NGAD for the wider effort.

The pieces of the family

The Air Force has never published a full list of what NGAD includes, and much of the budget is classified. The main parts, though, are known.

The fighter is meant to be the long-range, stealthy core. The drone wingmen add numbers, carry extra missiles and sensors, and take on the most dangerous positions. The NGAP engine is intended to give more range and more electrical power and cooling than today’s engines. The weapons include the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile.

Why the Air Force wants it

The F-22 is out of production, and only about 185 remain. It was designed for Europe in the 1980s, where bases were close to the fight. Its combat radius of roughly 590 nautical miles is short for the Pacific.

China is the main reason for the change. The Pentagon’s December 2025 report on Chinese military power said China’s own sixth-generation aircraft could be operational by 2035, and two Chinese designs have been flying since late 2024. China also has a large and growing force of J-20 stealth fighters and long-range missiles that threaten tankers and air bases.

The Air Force’s answer is an aircraft with far more range than the F-22, better stealth and the ability to direct uncrewed aircraft. The service’s own graphic gives the F-47 a combat radius above 1,000 nautical miles.

Air Force NGAD and Navy NGAD are different programmes

The Navy has used the same name for its own effort, which causes regular confusion. The Navy’s programme is separate, with its own requirements and budget. Its crewed fighter is known as F/A-XX and will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet on aircraft carriers.

The two came together in one respect on 29 September 2026, when the Navy also selected Boeing. The aircraft are still distinct designs. We compare them in F-47 vs F/A-XX.

The 2024 pause and the cost question

NGAD almost stopped in 2024. In July of that year, then Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall paused the fighter competition. He said the service was no longer sure the requirement matched the threat, and that a price of “multiple hundreds of millions” of dollars per aircraft was too high. In December 2024 he left the decision to the incoming administration.

An internal review concluded that a crewed penetrating fighter was still needed, and the contract followed in March 2025. The cost question has not gone away. No official unit price exists, and outside estimates run from about $180 million to $300 million, as our F-47 cost guide explains.

Funding has grown since the award. The F-47 received about $3.5 billion in fiscal 2026, and the fiscal 2027 request is about $5 billion. Collaborative Combat Aircraft and the engine are funded separately.

Frequently asked questions

What does NGAD stand for?

Next Generation Air Dominance. It is the US Air Force programme to replace the F-22 Raptor.

Is NGAD the same as the F-47?

Not exactly. NGAD is the overall programme, described as a family of systems. The F-47 is the crewed fighter at its centre.

Who builds the NGAD fighter?

Boeing. The Air Force awarded the development contract on 21 March 2025.

Is NGAD a drone?

No. The F-47 has a pilot. NGAD also includes uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft that fly alongside it.

What is the difference between Air Force NGAD and Navy NGAD?

They are separate programmes. The Air Force fighter is the F-47. The Navy’s is F/A-XX, a carrier aircraft. Boeing builds both.

When will NGAD enter service?

The Air Force plans a first F-47 flight in 2028 and wants the aircraft in service around the end of the decade. No firm date has been published.