President Suggests Twin-Engine F-35 and Upgraded F-22 Amid Budget and Technical Challenges
In a startling public statement during a business roundtable in Doha, President Donald Trump seemingly revealed plans to develop a new twin-engine fighter dubbed the F-55—and an upgraded “F-22 Super.” These proposals would mark a significant shift in U.S. aircraft development priorities, but experts quickly cast doubt on the practicality and wisdom of pursuing such projects with limited defense budgets.
Unprecedented and Challenging Engineering Feats
Defense analysts contacted by Breaking Defense argued that creating a twin-engine version of the F-35 would be as complex as designing a new aircraft from scratch. The current F-35’s airframe was not designed to accommodate two engines, and retrofitting for such a capability would require extensive redesigns—effectively a “clean-sheet” development effort.
J.J. Gertler of the Teal Group pointed out that adding a second engine would push the aircraft into the same size and cost realm as the F-47, the Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter announced earlier this year. “When you add a second engine to an F-35, it stops being an F-35,” he said, emphasizing that substantial changes to the airframe, wing, and stealth features would be necessary.
Cost, Development Time, and Strategic Redundancy
Experts questioned whether diverting scarce defense dollars to create a twin-engine F-35 makes strategic sense, especially since the F-47 is already envisioned as the future sixth-generation fighter. Lockheed Martin’s CEO recently stated that the F-35 Block 4 modernization will dramatically enhance capabilities at a fraction of the cost that such a new aircraft would require.
Furthermore, analyst Richard Aboulafia described Trump’s idea as “mostly the same thing” as a childhood doodle, implying that the proposal is more symbolic than practical. He warned that attempting to stretch the current F-35 into a twin-engine platform is “like saying a mansion is an upgraded bungalow,” highlighting the technical and financial impracticalities involved.
Concerns About Stealth and Airframe Redesign
Adding a second engine would also present major challenges for maintaining the F-35’s low observable (stealth) design. Stacie Pettyjohn from the Center for a New American Security noted that such a modification would require reworking the shaping and materials, risking a loss of stealth performance.
Focus on Existing Programs and Future Aircraft
While the idea of a twin-engine F-35 remains highly speculative, Trump’s comments suggest a continued interest in expanding the capabilities of existing platforms. Analysts believe that any such effort would likely be unfeasible and a poor allocation of resources given the current and projected defense budgets.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s ongoing modernization efforts—upgrading the F-35’s engines, avionics, and capabilities—appear to be the realistic path forward. The recent emphasis by Lockheed and others on developing the F-47 as a next-generation fighter indicates that the U.S. is prioritizing new designs over attempting to overhaul legacy aircraft.
A Sign of Political Ambition, Not Practical Military Planning
Experts agree that Trump’s remarks reflect political bravado rather than a concrete development plan. Aboulafia summed up the general sentiment: “Anyone investing in this without direct government funding should sell their shares immediately and replace their CEOs with a functioning adult.”
In the end, the U.S. defense community remains skeptical that these ambitious ideas will materialize, especially given the immense engineering, funding, and strategic obstacles involved.
