Trump Teases New ‘F-55’ Fighter Jet

President suggests the aircraft needs two engines for reliability, unlike the single-engine F-35.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A USAF F-35 Lightning II [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

President Trump announced plans for a new twin-engine fighter jet, dubbed the "F-55," conceived as a substantial upgrade and driven by his preference for multi-engine aircraft over the F-35's single engine.
Alongside the F-55 initiative, a "simple upgrade" for the existing F-35 aircraft is also being pursued.
Trump also revealed intentions to develop a "F-22 Super," an upgraded and modernized version of the F-22 stealth fighter.

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President Donald Trump said the United States is developing a new twin-engine fighter jet he dubbed the “F-55” after voicing displeasure with some aspects of Lockheed Martin’s F-35.

At a meeting of business leaders in Doha, Qatar, attended by the heads of Boeing and GE Aerospace, Trump said his administration is looking at options to upgrade the F-35 but could eventually develop a totally new aircraft.