Trump awards next-generation F-47 fighter jet contract to Boeing

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Boeing has been awarded the contract for the Air Force's next-generation stealth fighter plane, which the 47th US president said would be named the F-47.

"Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it'll be known as the F-47. The generals picked a title, and it's a beautiful number, F-47," said Trump at the White House.

The contract aims to develop the replacement for the F-22 jet - which has been in operation for some two decades - with a new, more advanced aircraft able to operate alongside uncrewed drones.

"After a rigorous and thorough competition between some of America's top aerospace companies, the Air Force is going to be awarding the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform to Boeing," Trump said in televised remarks in the Oval Office.

He said the price of the contract could not be revealed for security reasons.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Trump, said the new aircraft "sends a very direct, clear message to our allies that we're not going anywhere, and to our enemies that … we will be able to project power around the globe unimpeded for generations to come".

The announcement is a boon for Boeing, which faced a difficult last year in which it struggled with a lengthy labour strike and safety problems on its civilian airliners.

At around 16:25 GMT on Friday, Boeing's shares were trading higher on the New York Stock Exchange, gaining 4.78 per cent to reach $181.09.