Lockheed shifts focus to F-35 upgrades after NGAD loss, will not protest

The US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter—now dubbed the F-47—will be built by Boeing, and Lockheed Martin isn’t protesting, reports Breaking Defense. Lockheed had been seen as the favorite because of its track record with fifth-generation jets like the F-22 and F-35. Instead, Lockheed is pivoting its strategy to infuse NGAD-derived technologies into the F-35.

In practice, this could mean integrating cutting-edge sensors, networking, and possibly adaptive engine tech from the NGAD program into future F-35 upgrades. Lockheed’s fighter portfolio remains formidable even without NGAD; it has a massive F-35 order backlog and ongoing F-22 Raptor modernization work “that shows no signs of sunsetting,” notes Rebecca Grant of the Lexington Institute. The Raptor fleet has recently faced readiness challenges, with mission-capable rates hovering below 60 percent due to maintenance complexity and aging systems.

“Under any scenario, the F-35 [will] still [be] the bulk of the advanced fighter force for many years to come,” Grant added

For Boeing, the NGAD win is a monumental boost to its fighter business. It also inherits the mantle of producing the Air Force’s first sixth-generation fighter, meant to eventually succeed the F-22. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin emphasized that while “the F-22 is currently the finest air superiority fighter in the world, and its modernization will make it even better, the F-47 is a generational leap forward” in capability, as reported by Defense Scoop. Boeing’s victory ends Lockheed’s long-held monopoly on stealth fighter production and places Boeing firmly at the forefront of the next era of air combat.

Similar to Lockheed, Boeing continues to upgrade its F-15, most recently into the F-15EX Eagle II, with a modernized avionics suite, next-generation electronic warfare system, and the world’s most powerful fighter radar (AESA). Those upgrades give the Air Force a fresh fourth-generation-plus fighter that can complement stealth fleets. Boeing also upgrades and sustains the Navy’s F/A-18.

With NGAD now in Boeing’s hands, the competitive landscape of US fighter makers is shifting. Lockheed Martin, shut out of both the Air Force’s NGAD and the Navy’s parallel F/A-XX program, is doubling down on its existing platforms. Lockheed’s acceptance of the NGAD outcome without protest signals a pragmatic shift to cooperation and innovation on current programs, rather than a legal battle.