Newsmax: The United States is examining the possible development of a twin-engined warplane to be known as the F-55, as well as an upgrade to its Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor called the F-22 Super, President Donald Trump said Thursday.
Trump was speaking at a meeting of business leaders including the heads of Boeing and GE Aerospace in Doha, a day after announcing a string of business deals including an order from Qatar for 160 Boeing commercial jets.
Trump referred to the proposed F-55 as both an upgrade to the Lockheed Martin F-35 and a separate new development.
He also highlighted the role of a new air dominance platform called the F-47, recently awarded to Boeing, and said the United States was simultaneously looking at upgrading the stealth fighter it is designed to replace, the F-22.
“We’re going to do an F-55 and – I think, if we get the right price, we have to get the right price – that’ll be two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35, and then we’re going to do the F-22,” Trump said.
“I think the most beautiful fighter jet in the world is the F-22 but we’re going to do an F-22 Super and it’ll be a very modern version of the F-22 fighter jet.”
Trump’s comments came weeks after he awarded Boeing the contract for the F-47 – a replacement for the F-22 stealth fighter featuring a crewed aircraft flanked by drones and seen as America’s most advanced or sixth-generation fighter.
Analysts said it was not immediately clear how Trump’s list fitted into a jigsaw of known programs or spending plans.
Agency Partners aerospace analyst Nick Cunningham said the F-55 may refer to the F/A-XX program, intended to replace the U.S. Navy’s Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet during the 2030s.
The Navy and Congress are battling with the administration to keep the plans moving forward, Reuters reported Wednesday.
Any significant upgrade to the out-of-production F-22 would be costly, while Trump’s reference to two engines implies the F-55 would not be closely related to the single-engined F-35, he said.
Lockheed Martin is in the midst of a delayed software upgrade for the F-35 to boost displays and processing power.
CEO James Taiclet also told analysts last month that Lockheed was looking at ways of applying co-funded technology that was developed for its losing bid for the F-47 contract to the F-35, delivering 80% of the capability for half the cost.
