Pratt & Whitney NGAP Engine Update Offers Glimpse of NGAD Fighter Design

Engine Reveal May Have Unveiled Airframe

On February 17, 2026, Pratt & Whitney released a significant update on its XA103 engine, a core component of the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. This engine is engineered to power the United States Air Force's future fighter, the centerpiece of the highly classified Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The promotional materials accompanying the engine update included renderings that appear to show the new fighter airframe, potentially designated the F-47, offering the public the most detailed look yet at the future of American air power.

Program Heats Up as Field Narrows

The NGAD program aims to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter to replace the F-22 Raptor, incorporating advanced propulsion, sensing, and weapons capabilities. The reveal from Pratt & Whitney comes after a major shift in the competitive landscape for the program. On July 27, 2023, Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden confirmed the company had notified the Air Force that it would not be bidding as a prime contractor. This decision leaves aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin as the two most probable remaining competitors to design and build the NGAD platform. The inadvertent glimpse of the fighter's design, tied to the Pratt & Whitney engine, intensifies scrutiny on the remaining contenders as the program moves toward selecting a final contractor.