RAF FAIRFORD, England: The U.S. is reassessing its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform, a future family of fighters and drones, due to escalating costs and evolving threats, according to Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. The projected cost of the NGAD, which is set to replace the F-22, has exceeded $300 million per unit, three times the cost of an F-35.
Kendall highlighted the necessity to evaluate the design concept thoroughly before proceeding. This reassessment is influenced by emerging threats, particularly from an increasingly armed China, and the integration of drones or Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) into the initiative.
He stated that before we make commitment that we are close to making, we want to make sure we have got the right design concept.
The NGAD concept predates the current severe threat level, the introduction of CCAs, and present affordability issues. Kendall emphasized the need to scrutinize the NGAD before finalizing the 2026 budget to ensure the project aligns with contemporary threats and budget constraints. The Air Force is also managing significant costs associated with renewing its land-based nuclear deterrent and developing the B-21 bomber.
Analysts at the Britain’s Royal International Air Tattoo show suggested that this in-depth review indicates the Air Force’s intent to verify if the NGAD remains suitable against China’s evolving threat landscape, as its timeline extends into the 2030s.
Vago Muradian editor Defence and Aerospace Report explained that NGAD is a whole series of programs under the umbrella of capabilities that the Air Force wants in order both to better deter China and to fight and win if necessary.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin are considered leading contenders for the core fighter component of the NGAD project. This reevaluation has also drawn attention in Europe, where similar projects like Britain’s crewed-uncrewed GCAP, in collaboration with Japan and Italy, and the France-Germany-Spain FCAS/SCAF project, may face scrutiny in upcoming defense reviews.
An update on the GCAP project is expected at the Farnborough International Airshow, highlighting the global implications of the U.S. Air Force’s reassessment of its next-generation air dominance strategy.
