Fighter Jets

Modern fighter aircraft and next-generation air combat technologies.

Category Highlights
F-47 vs J-50: Boeing’s Fighter and China’s Shenyang Design

F-47 vs J-50: Boeing’s Fighter and China’s Shenyang Design

The F-47 and the Chinese aircraft known as the J-50 are both tailless, twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighters. Beyond that, almost nothing can be compared with...

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F-35 Block 4 and TR-3 Explained: What Is Delayed and Why

F-35 Block 4 and TR-3 Explained: What Is Delayed and Why

F-35 Block 4 is the package of new weapons, sensors and electronic warfare functions planned for the aircraft, and TR-3 is the new computer hardware...

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What Is a Sixth-Generation Fighter? The F-47 and Its Rivals

What Is a Sixth-Generation Fighter? The F-47 and Its Rivals

A sixth-generation fighter is a combat aircraft meant to go beyond the F-22 and F-35 in stealth, range, sensing and the ability to direct uncrewed...

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Can the F-35 Carry Nuclear Weapons? The B61-12 Mission

Can the F-35 Carry Nuclear Weapons? The B61-12 Mission

Yes. The F-35A is certified to carry the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb, a clearance that was completed in October 2023 and made public in March...

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F-47 and the AIM-260 JATM: The Missile Built for a New Fighter

F-47 and the AIM-260 JATM: The Missile Built for a New Fighter

The F-47's main air-to-air weapon is expected to be the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, a long-range missile that the United States has been developing...

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F-47 Radar and Sensors: What Is Known, What Is Classified

F-47 Radar and Sensors: What Is Known, What Is Classified

The Air Force has not named a single sensor on the F-47. There is no published radar designation, no supplier list and no description of...

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F-35I Adir: How Israel’s Stealth Fighter Is Different

F-35I Adir: How Israel’s Stealth Fighter Is Different

The F-35I Adir is the Israeli Air Force version of the F-35A, and the only F-35 that a foreign customer has been allowed to modify...

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Does the F-47 Have a Pilot? Why It Is Crewed, Not a Drone

Does the F-47 Have a Pilot? Why It Is Crewed, Not a Drone

Yes. The F-47 is a crewed fighter with one pilot on board, and the Air Force describes it as the first crewed sixth-generation fighter. The...