The benefit of canards is improved maneuverability and stability, especially at high angles of attack. But canards lead to higher observability—and hence less stealth.
Newly released image renderings of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter, now known as the F-47, are being dissected for insights into the design and operational objectives of the new aircraft. The F-47, whose contract President Donald Trump awarded to Boeing last week, was always expected to emphasize stealth, speed, and payload at the cost of maneuverability. But depictions of canards in the image renderings have analysts re-evaluating their assumptions about the F-47 program.
Of course, all assumptions thus far are based on a whole lot of speculation—as neither Boeing nor the Air Force has offered any specifics into the F-47’s design. Still, let’s take a closer look at the renderings and all of the associated chatter.
What the F-47’s Canards Indicate
The inclusion of canards in the F-47 image renderings has some pundits scratching their heads. At The War Zone, the going assumption had been that the F-47 would “be optimized for low-observability (stealth), range, payload, and speed, not maneuverability.” Because canards are a design feature that lend to enhanced maneuverability, the initial assumptions about the program are being reconsidered.
Canards are a wing configuration in which a small forewing is placed forward of the primary wings. The use of canards has been very popular with European-made fourth-generation fighters—notably the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS-39 Gripen, and Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback. The benefit of canards is improved maneuverability and stability, especially at high angles of attack. But canards lead to higher observability; after all, they are an extra surface for radar to interact with and detect. The only stealth fighter with canards is China’s Chengdu J-20, which in fact has been criticized for its use of canards.
A First for the U.S. Air Force
The Americans have never produced a stealth fighter with canards, although multiple blueprinted stealth fighters did feature the forward wing. “It’s also worth noting that there have been plenty of stealthy fighter concepts that have featured canards,” The War Zone reported. “Most notably, some concepts from the U.S. Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) and Advanced Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) initiatives, which led to the F-35, had canards” and “various configurations that were part of the early Advanced Tactical Fighter (AF) program that have birth to the F-22 Raptor did as well.” So canards have been theorized as a design element of American stealth fighters, if never actually produced.
Still, as the J-20 demonstrates, canards do not inherently ruin an aircraft’s stealth performance. It may be that Boeing has developed technologies that mitigate the observability of the canard. Or possibly, as has been stated prior, the F-47 could be modular—with two distinct configurations, one for stealth and one for maneuverability. “One for a shorter-range ‘European’ configuration and one more optimized to the vastness and tactical challenges of the Pacific,” The War Zone explained. “Basically, one was better suited for more of a traditional fighter role at the sacrifice of endurance and vice versa.”
Whatever the case, don’t expect any answers from Boeing or the Air Force. The F-47’s development will continue—but only as a tightly-held secret.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / The National Interest.
