Air Force owns more tech on F-46 dodging F-35 mistake
Stephen Losey
May 22, 2025
The U.S. Air Force is structuring its Boeing-built F-47 sixth-generation fighter program so the service, not the contractor, owns the jet’s mission-system architecture and intellectual property. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told senators this “government reference architecture” will let the Air Force swap in new software, sensors, and weapons at its own pace—avoiding the perpetual vendor lock-in and costly sustainment problems that plague the F-35. Upgrades added to the F-47 will also port seamlessly to the service’s forthcoming collaborative combat aircraft (YFQ-42/YFQ-44), multiplying combat capability across the entire family of systems. Air & Space Forces Magazine
🔹 Key Points (Bullet List)
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Greater government control: The Air Force “in-sourced” key roles and now owns the tech base and mission systems for the F-47, unlike the F-35’s contractor-controlled model.
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Government Reference Architecture (GRA): A common, open blueprint guides design, production, and sustainment, enabling multiple vendors to plug in subsystems.
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F-35 lessons learned: Former SecAF Frank Kendall called the F-35 deal “acquisition malpractice” for forfeiting IP and sustainment data; those mistakes are being corrected here.
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Rapid, software-driven upgrades: Mission-system changes can occur “at the speed of software,” without waiting on hardware blocks or prime-contractor schedules.
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Shared architecture with CCAs: The same open mission systems will power autonomous drone wingmen (YFQ-42 & YFQ-44), so a single software drop enhances an entire system-of-systems.
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Cost and competition benefits: Open standards prevent a “perpetual monopoly,” let new suppliers compete for upgrades, and promise better value for taxpayers. Air & Space Forces Magazine
FULL ARTICLE: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/05/22/allvin-air-force-owns-more-tech-on-f-47-dodging-f-35-mistake/