Washington DC/IBNS: US President Donald Trump Friday announced that his administration has awarded Boeing with a major contract to develop a high-tech next-generation F-47 fighter plane for the Air Force.

The contract is aimed at replacing the F-22 stealth warplane, operating for some two decades, with a new, more advanced aircraft that will be able to operate alongside uncrewed drones.

"After a rigorous and thorough competition between some of America's top aerospace companies, the Air Force is going to be awarding the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform to Boeing," Trump told reporters at the Oval Office.

He said the price of the contract could not be revealed for security reasons.

"Nothing in the world comes even close to it, and it'll be known as the F-47, the generals picked a title, and it's a beautiful number, F-47," Trump said.

The announcement is a big boost for Boeing, which faced a difficult last year owing to a lengthy labor strike and safety problems.

The F-47 will replace the F-22 Raptor aircraft, whose manufacturing dates back to the 1980s.