F-47 sixth-gen fighter targets 1,000-nautical-mile combat radius, 70% beyond the F-22

What happened

F-47 sixth-gen fighter targets 1,000-nautical-mile combat radius, 70% beyond the F-22, according to Interesting Engineering. Air Force is designing its F-47 sixth-generation fighter to fly more than 1,000 nautical miles (about 1,150 miles) from its base, complete a mission and return, a reach that would outstrip both the F-22 Raptor and the F-35A Lightning II. Timothy Helfrich, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s portfolio acquisition executive for fighters and advanced aircraft, outlined the goals in a Mitchell Institute Aerospace Nation interview.

He called the F-47 what the service considers the world’s first sixth-generation fighter and said the Air Force is targeting a first flight in 2028, with fielding to follow subject to development and testing. Why combat radius matters Combat radius is not ferry range.

It measures how far an aircraft can go from its base, finish its mission and get home, depending on conditions and fuel needs. The gap matters most in the Indo-Pacific, where vast distances and Chinese long-range missiles threaten air bases, logistics hubs and supporting aircraft.