ST. LOUIS — On Friday, President Donald Trump awarded Boeing with the contract to build the Air Force’s future fighter jet, the F-47.
According to the Associated Press, the Pentagon says the F-47 will have stealth and penetration abilities that are far more advanced than the Air Force’s current fleet. During a press conference on Friday, Trump said the Air Force decided on Boeing after a “rigorous and tough competition.”
Boeing and Lockheed Martin were both in the running before the decision was granted to the largest employer in the St. Louis region, marking a significant turnaround for Boeing.
In June 2024, Boeing announced the company would expand into north St. Louis County and build a manufacturing site for combat aircraft as part of their $1.8 billion expansion plan.
According to our partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the project includes a 1.1 million-square-foot facility and could become the largest defense project in St. Louis-area history.
As one of the largest employers in the St. Louis region, Boeing laid off more than 100 mechanics in November 2024. The layoffs came after Boeing delayed production on a high-profile 777X commercial jet.
Reuters reported that Boeing planned to cut around 10% of its global workforce as the company navigated this delay.