Trump Proposes Twin-Engine F-35 and “Super” Version of the F-22 Raptor
The F-22 Super could serve as a bridge to the F-47, the U.S.'s first sixth-generation fighter.
During a Middle East tour, U.S. President Donald Trump announced an ambitious plan to upgrade and develop the fifth-generation stealth fighters currently in service. At a meeting with Boeing and GE Aerospace executives in Doha, Trump unveiled plans for a twin-engine version of the F-35 Lightning II—provisionally named the “F-55”—as well as a new variant of the F-22 Raptor, dubbed the “F-22 Super.”
According to the president, the F-55 would be an evolution of the F-35, though he also hinted it could be an entirely new design. The most striking detail was the proposal to incorporate a second engine:
“The F-35 has one engine. I don’t like single engines,” Trump said. “We’re going to make an F-55 with two engines and a super-upgrade of the F-35, and then we’ll do the F-22 Super,” he declared, emphasizing that the Raptor is, in his opinion, “the most beautiful fighter in the world.”
The announcement caught many in the defense community off guard, as adding a second engine to the F-35 would effectively require a complete redesign of the aircraft. This would not only double development and production costs and timelines but also contradict the budget-efficiency rhetoric that Trump’s own administration has championed in military procurement.
Sources cited by Reuters speculate that the F-55 may refer to the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX program, which aims to replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet. This program remains in its early stages, with a lead contractor selection expected later this year. The proposed twin-engine layout suggests that if it moves forward, the F-55 would be a completely new design, distinct from the single-engine architecture of the F-35A/B/C.
A Raptor That Still Roars
As for the F-22 Super, Trump’s announcement builds on a series of ongoing modernization efforts. As previously reported in January, Lockheed Martin received a $270 million contract to integrate TacIRST distributed infrared sensors into the F-22 fleet. These sensors can detect stealth threats passively and are resistant to electronic warfare. Known as IRDS, the system marks a significant leap in the Raptor’s situational awareness, improving its capabilities against advanced adversaries like China’s J-20.
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Additionally, since 2020, the ARES (Advanced Raptor Enhancement and Sustainment) program has aimed to extend the F-22’s operational life and update its avionics. Upgrades may include the integration of the APG-81 radar from the F-35 and improved data fusion capabilities.
The idea of an “F-22 Super” has circulated for years in the form of industrial proposals and early studies but has never progressed beyond the conceptual stage. Trump’s remarks could give the project renewed political momentum, although no concrete details have emerged regarding its funding, timeline, or technological scope. What is certain is that any Raptor upgrade will need to preserve its role as the U.S. Air Force’s premier air superiority platform, at least until Boeing’s **F-47—the first American sixth-generation fighter—**enters service in sufficient numbers to assume that role.
AUTOR
Apasionado por la aviación, la historia, la política y la defensa. Editor-in-Chief en Aviacionline Defensa, combinando estos conocimiento para ofrecer un contenido valioso sobre temas estratégicos y de seguridad.
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