Air Force punts NGAD fighter decision to Trump administration
The fate of the Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter jet will be decided by the upcoming Trump administration, according to the Pentagon.
“The Secretary of the Air Force will defer the Next Generation Air Dominance way ahead decision to the next administration, while the Department of the Air Force continues its analysis and executes the necessary actions to ensure decision space remains intact for the NGAD program,” DAF spokesperson Ann Stefanek said in a statement Thursday.
Over the last few months, the Air Force paused the selection process for the NGAD platform in order to reexamine the service’s design concept to ensure it fits anticipated threat, budget and technology environments. The stealth fighter jet is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor, and would be the centerpiece of the NGAD family of systems.
The Air Force plans to extend current contracts for technology maturation and risk reduction on the program “to further mature designs/systems while ensuring the industry teams remain intact,” Stefanek said. The service initially planned to award an NGAD contract before the end of 2024.
The department is also asking industry partners to update their proposals, taking into account delays caused by the program’s pause, she added.
Lockheed Martin and Boeing are thought to be the two prime contractors vying for the project.
NGAD has been one of Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s key priorities during his time at the helm of the department. After months of uncertainty, Kendall said the service will need to make a final decision on the program ahead of releasing its budget request for fiscal 2026 — which will now be developed by officials appointed by President-elect Donald Trump.
