The US Air Force has published plans for a $1.057 billion F-47 Future Campus at Nellis Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, Nevada, to support operational testing of Boeing's next-generation fighter aircraft.
A draft solicitation released on 23 October 2026 sets out a phased construction programme, with the first facilities targeted for completion by March 2031 and additional maintenance and support buildings planned through 2032. Aviation A2Z reports that the Air Force intends to award an other transaction agreement to between one and four vendors by February 2027.
What the F-47 Future Campus Will Include
The Air Force plans to use a progressive design-build approach, prioritising critical facilities before expanding the site with maintenance, training and support buildings. The campus will occupy the eastern side of Nellis Air Force Base.
According to Aviation A2Z, the agreement would initiate design and preconstruction work through November 2027, with rapid construction scheduled to begin that month and continue through March 2031.
The initial construction phase will establish four major facilities covering F-47 operational testing, aircraft maintenance, mission-system work and simulation-based training. A subsequent phase, continuing through 2032, will add six further facilities to expand maintenance, training and support capabilities, including specialised maintenance areas and weapons-loading training space.
Why Nellis Air Force Base Was Chosen
Nellis already plays an established role in advanced fighter evaluation. Aviation A2Z notes that the Nevada installation currently supports combined developmental and operational testing of the Boeing F-15EX, making it a natural fit for the F-47 programme.
Environmental planning reinforced that choice. In August 2026, the Department of the Interior awarded Versar Inc. a $1.9 million contract to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme, and the contract notice was subsequently updated to specify Nellis as the site.
You can explore Boeing's broader programme history using our Manufacturer Search tool.
The Construction Timeline and What It Signals
The March 2031 completion target for the initial facilities is intended to place dedicated test infrastructure in service ahead of the F-47's planned entry into operational use during the 2030s. The two-phase approach allows the Air Force to have essential test infrastructure ready while longer-term campus support continues to develop.
When the Air Force announced Boeing's selection for the fighter programme in 2025, the service said it expected the aircraft to begin flying by the end of President Donald Trump's current term and enter operational service in the 2030s. The proposed campus schedule is designed to keep pace with that broader development timetable.
Basing Plans for Operational Squadrons Remain Open
The construction proposal confirms where the Air Force intends to conduct F-47 operational testing, but it does not establish where operational squadrons will eventually be stationed. Those are separate planning decisions, and the service has not yet specified a complete basing plan.
A report to Congress outlining Air Force fighter fleet plans through 2035 identifies two F-22 units at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska whose transition missions are listed as "to be determined." It does not confirm when either squadron will move to the F-47 or whether both will receive the new aircraft.
F-22 squadrons at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii are planned to retain the F-22 mission within the report's planning period, according to Aviation A2Z. The F-47 is expected to replace the existing F-22 fleet over time, but the final replacement schedule has not been established.
The Bottom Line
The $1.057 billion F-47 Future Campus at Nellis represents a significant commitment of infrastructure investment ahead of the aircraft even entering service. The March 2031 target for initial facilities keeps the programme on track for operational testing before the planned 2030s service entry, and the phased approach gives the Air Force flexibility to expand the campus as the programme matures.
What remains unresolved is where F-47 operational squadrons will ultimately be based. The construction plan answers the testing question; the basing question is still open.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.
Advertise with us Your brand, in front of an aviation audience Home page and in-article placements, sold directly, one advertiser per slot. From £250 a year. See the rates
