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The ENGAD announcement came after a competitive selection process involving Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the latter withdrawing from the race a few years prior. The decision to award this contract to Boeing has been a culmination of years of uncertainty and strategic review by the Air Force.
Despite speculation about whether the F-47 had already flown, it was clarified that it has not; however, various experimental X-planes have been developed under related government initiatives. These demonstrators have been operational since at least 2020 and are believed to have informed decisions on the design and capabilities of the F-47.