US Air Force opens multibillion-dollar bid for full-scale production of sixth-generation fighter jet to replace F-22 Raptor - contract to be awarded in 2024

The US Air Force plans to sign a contract next year for full-scale production of a sixth-generation fighter. The aircraft is being developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project as a replacement for the world's first fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter.

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The US Air Force has officially opened a bid that is likely to attract some of the country's biggest aerospace companies. In particular, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The latter, by the way, is the manufacturer of the new generation B-21 Raider nuclear bomber, which was unveiled in December last year.

The day before, the US Air Force launched the Request for Proposals for the full-scale development phase of the sixth generation fighter. The aircraft will be able to work in a tender with unmanned aerial vehicles, which are being developed in a separate program (Collaborative Combat Aircraft). The manufacturer for it will be selected separately.

The service said in a press release that the NGAD platform is "a vital component of the air superiority systems family. The sixth-generation fighter represents a technological leap from the F-22. The list of key attributes of the new aircraft includes enhanced strike capability, increased survivability, sustainability, and airborne adaptability in a fiercely competitive environment.

The US Air Force hopes to award the contract in 2024. The fighter will enter service in the 2030s. The NGAD was previously expected to be ready in 2035, as was the next-generation aircraft for the People's Liberation Army of China.

Source: Air Force