Trump Pitches New Supercharged Twin-Engine F-35 Referred to as F-55

President Donald Trump pitched plans for a brand new twin-engine model of the F-35 stealth fighter jet on Thursday. He referred to the jet because the “F-55.”

“The F-35, we’re doing an improve — a easy improve — however we’re additionally doing an F-55. I will name it an F-55,” Trump shared throughout a enterprise roundtable in Qatar, the second cease in his Center East tour.

“That is going to be a considerable improve,” with two engines, Trump defined, “as a result of an F-35 has a single engine; I do not like single engines.” He then touted the 4 engines on a 747 as a result of there is a backup if an engine goes out.

“We’ll do an F-55, I believe, if we get the correct value — we’ve got to get the correct value,” the president stated. “And that shall be two engines and an excellent improve on the F-35.”

The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is a fifth-generation stealth plane made by US protection contractor Lockheed Martin. The jet was developed and manufactured as a part of a multinational program. For the reason that first one rolled off the manufacturing line, over 1,100 have been delivered to the US and militaries all over the world.

Some outstanding figures inside Trump world have sharply criticized the costly F-35 program, arguing that it has been a wasteful debacle and pointless amid the rise in drone expertise, however the president’s feedback in Qatar on Thursday seem to point continued assist for this system. The F-35 is taken into account throughout the Protection Division to be a cornerstone of US airpower.

Final month, Lockheed CEO James Taiclet stated that the protection agency would “supercharge” the F-35’s capabilities to make it a “fifth-generation plus” plane that might convey it practically on par with a sixth-generation fighter jet.

“So, the F-35. So we’re mainly going to take the chassis and switch it right into a Ferrari. It is like a NASCAR improve, so to talk,” Taiclet stated throughout a first-quarter earnings name. He stated that Lockheed might outfit the F-35 with capabilities like higher sensors, improved stealth expertise, higher programs, and longer-range weapons.

Taiclet’s remarks got here shortly after Lockheed misplaced a bid to construct the Subsequent Era Air Dominance fighter, which Trump named the “F-47,” to Boeing. The approaching NGAD is anticipated to battle alongside drones and succeed the F-22 Raptor because the US Air Pressure’s prime air superiority fighter.

On Thursday, Trump additionally proposed massive upgrades to the F-22, saying the US goes to make an “F-22 Tremendous.”