{
  "id": 11187964,
  "title": "US says F-47 will be first sixth-gen jet. China’s J-36 and J-50 are already flying",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/us-says-f-47-will-be-first-sixth-gen-jet-chinas-j-36-and-j-50-are",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T12:30:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3369429/us-says-f-47-will-be-first-sixth-gen-jet-chinas-j-36-and-j-50-are-already-flying"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United States is nearing the production of its F-47 sixth-generation fighter, according to a senior Air Force official. This aircraft is set to become the world's first sixth-generation fighter, with its first flight targeted for 2028, just before President Donald Trump's term ends in January 2029. Meanwhile, China is continuing to test two different next-generation combat aircraft, the J-36 and J-50, which have been observed on test flights since December 2024. These Chinese programs lack detailed information, making direct comparisons difficult. The US Navy has chosen Boeing, already developing the F-47, for its F/A-XX carrier-based fighter under a development contract worth over $20 billion, placing both US sixth-generation fighter programs under the same roof. This decision underscores the strategic importance of fighter production capacity for the United States. With only three active fighter lines – for the F-35, F-15EX, and F-16 – the F-47 represents a significant addition to US capabilities. The aircraft is expected to have a combat radius of over 1,000 nautical miles (1,850km) and is designed to be much more survivable than existing fifth-generation aircraft.",
  "summary": "Washington is “not too far away” from a production line for its F-47 sixth-generation fighter, a senior US Air Force official has said, as China presses ahead with flight-testing two different next-generation combat aircraft of its own. During a virtual event hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on Monday, Brigadier General Timothy Helfrich, the service’s portfolio acquisition…",
  "key_points": [
    "US set to produce first sixth-generation fighter F-47",
    "China testing J-36 and J-50 next-gen combat aircraft",
    "US Navy selects Boeing for F/A-XX carrier-based fighter"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "title": "US says F-47 will be first sixth-gen jet. China’s J-36 and J-50 are already flying",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/us-says-f-47-will-be-first-sixth-gen-jet-chinas-j-36-and-j-50-are-11189311",
        "published": "2026-10-01T12:30:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}