Trump lauds “beautiful number” F-47: how the U.S. Military and others name their aircraft

President Donald Trump has recently awarded Boeing a multi-billion dollar contract to build the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet, the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) aircraft. In a White House announcement, Trump described the high-speed stealth aircraft, officially designated the F-47, as the “most lethal aircraft ever built.” He also claimed that a version has been flying secretly for the last five years.

The F-47, designed to replace Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor, represents the next step in air superiority for the U.S. military. According to Trump, the aircraft will also be capable of operating alongside unmanned drones in combat, marking a new era of warfare. While the exact details of the contract remain undisclosed, the deal is a significant boost for Boeing, which has faced struggles in both commercial and military markets in recent years.

However, one of the most intriguing aspects of the announcement was Trump’s enthusiasm for the jet’s name. The president highlighted the number 47 as a “beautiful number,” a nod to his status as both the 45th and 47th president of the United States. “The generals picked that title,” he stated with a sly look, implying there may indeed be a degree of symbolism in the selection.

How does the U.S. military name its aircraft?

The U.S. military follows a standardized Mission-Design-Series (MDS) system when naming its aircraft. Fighter jets are designated with an “F” for “Fighter,” bombers with a “B,” attack aircraft with an “A,” and so on. The number that follows is generally assigned sequentially, though it does not always follow a strict chronological order.

For example:

• F-16 Fighting Falcon – Introduced in the 1970s, a highly maneuverable multirole jet.
• F-22 Raptor – America’s previous top air superiority fighter, first deployed in the early 2000s.
• F-35 Lightning II – A multi-role stealth fighter used by the U.S. and its allies.
• F-117 Nighthawk – Despite its “F” designation, this was actually a stealth attack aircraft.

Given this system, the F-47 should logically follow the last designated fighter jet, the F-35, though the skipping of numbers is not unprecedented. It is possible that numbers like 36 through 46 were assigned to classified projects, much like how the F-117 Nighthawk emerged from secrecy in the 1980s.

Aircraft naming conventions around the world

The U.S. is not alone in its structured approach to aircraft naming. Other countries use their own systems:

• Russia and the Soviet Union: Aircraft are designated by the design bureau, such as the MiG-29 (Mikoyan-Gurevich) or Su-57 (Sukhoi).
• China: The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) designates jets with a “J” for fighter aircraft (e.g., J-20) and a “H” for bombers (e.g., H-6).
• Europe: The Eurofighter Typhoon is designated EF-2000, while France’s Dassault Rafale does not follow a numerical sequence but rather a traditional name-based approach.

The future of air dominance

While details on the F-47 remain classified, the new contract signals a major shift in U.S. air power strategy. The introduction of a sixth-generation aircraft with advanced stealth, sensors, and drone coordination capabilities suggests a continued push for technological superiority in the skies.

As for its name, whether it was truly chosen for its numerical place in U.S. military designation or for its symbolic significance to the president, the F-47 is already making headlines before even being fully revealed.

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