Pentagon Set to Pick Builder for US Navy’s Sixth-Gen Fighter Jet
The US Department of Defense is expected to decide as soon as this week which US company will assemble the US Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation stealth aircraft.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the move in early October, according to Reuters, with Boeing and Northrop Grumman competing for the contract.
The F/A-XX, designed to replace the navy’s aging F/A-18 Super Hornets that have been in service since the 1990s, will feature advanced stealth technology, longer range, and the ability to operate with drones and ship defenses.
Adm. Daryl Caudle, nominee for Chief of Naval Operations, described the future platform as vital to equipping American forces for emerging threats.
“The Navy has a validated requirement for carrier-based sixth-generation aircraft, and it is critical that we field that capability as quickly as possible to give our warfighters the capabilities they need to win against a myriad of emerging threats,” Caudle told The War Zone.
Delays and Budget Battles
The F/A-XX program has faced repeated delays due to funding disputes and technical challenges.
The Pentagon initially requested $74 million just to sustain early development, while some officials sought further delays.
Congress instead moved to speed things up, approving $750 million this year and $1.4 billion for 2026 to keep the project on track.
Concerns also remain over whether the competing companies can handle the workload. Boeing is already developing the US Air Force’s new F-47 fighter, while Northrop is managing the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile project under Washington’s nuclear triad modernization effort.
Lockheed Martin, manufacturer of the F-35, was dropped from the competition earlier this year.
Race Against China
The Pentagon’s F/A-XX decision comes as China rapidly expands its carrier-based air power, including the stealth J-35 fighter and its new Fujian aircraft carrier, which features US-style catapult launch systems.
Analysts warn that further delays could leave the US Navy without a modern carrier jet by the next decade, Reuters reported.
