Not so long ago, some concerns started to emerge about whether or not aerospace stock Boeing (BA) could get the F-47 up and running in any rapid fashion. There were concerns about engine availability, and the strike in St. Louis was certainly not helping. But word from Boeing says the F-47 fighter will be in play, and sooner than some expect. This was good enough for investors, who sent shares notching up fractionally in Friday afternoon’s trading.
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Colin Miller, who serves as general manager at Boeing Phantom Works as well as vice president, noted that people were really going to “…be surprised by how fast you see (the F-47) flying.” Naturally, he could only talk about it so far, since the F-47 program is classified at last report. But he could still assert that he thinks “…it’ll happen faster than normal.”
In fact, reports noted, the chief of staff for the Air Force, Gen. David Allvin, released a graphic suggesting the F-47 would be ready somewhere between now and 2029. But Boeing is also looking to augment its position in other areas that may be helpful. Miller noted that Boeing had not made the same sort of investment in artificial intelligence (AI) that others have, and that Boeing is looking for new partnerships to bring it up to speed.
A Design Shortcut?
As it turns out, getting the F-47 into play could be simpler, thanks to new reports about the F/A-XX that Boeing has proposed. Reports note that Boeing may be taking parts of the F/A-XX’s proposed design and putting them into the F-47’s design. A rendering at the Tailhook Symposium recently showed an obscured view of the F/A-XX, but enough was seen to suggest similarities in points like the cockpit.
Naturally, only so much could be revealed in such an event. But if Boeing is getting a few design bits from one to use on the other, then that could be a way to help speed things up across the entire system. How far that impact goes is anyone’s guess.
Is Boeing a Good Stock to Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on BA stock based on 17 Buys and two Holds assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 35.93% rally in its share price over the past year, the average BA price target of $261.24 per share implies 10.55% upside potential.
