Sixth-generation fighter
| Sixth-generation jet fighter | |
|---|---|
| Artist's rendering of the Boeing F-47, an upcoming sixth generation jet fighter. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter aircraft |
| Status | In development |
| History | |
| Developed from | Fifth-generation fighter |
A sixth-generation fighter is a conceptualized class of jet fighter aircraft design more advanced than the fifth-generation jet fighters that are currently in service and development. Key characteristics include advanced stealth technology, increased range and beyond-visual-range weapons, and potentially manned-unmanned teaming.
As of 2025, national and multinational programs are in progress, with the first sixth-generation fighters expected to enter service in the 2030s.
The United States Air Force in 2025 selected the Boeing F-47 design from its Next Generation Air Dominance program, started in 2014 to replace the F-22 Raptor. The United States Navy is also pursuing the F/A-XX program to replace its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
China has test-flown two sixth-generation aircraft prototypes, tentatively named the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50, in 2024. Russia has been developing the Mikoyan PAK DP since the mid-2010s, as an interceptor to replace its Mikoyan MiG-31.
Since 2017, France, Germany, and Spain have jointly developed the Future Combat Air System, to supersede the Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon. Italy, Japan, and the UK have collaborated via the Global Combat Air Programme since 2022, replacing their Eurofighter and Mitsubishi F-2 fleets.