US Pentagon selects manufacturer of F/A-XX fighter for Navy
The US Pentagon has selected the company that will manufacture the next-generation F/A-XX fighter for the US Navy. The winner's name could be announced in the coming weeks or sooner, Defense News reports, citing two informed sources.
Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the contract. Based on previous programs of similar scale, its total lifecycle value could reach tens of billions of dollars.
Congressional appropriations
The program, which does not yet have an official name and is designated F/A-XX, has faced years of delays and funding disputes. Some Pentagon officials proposed postponing it for up to three years, citing concerns about engineering capacity and supply chains.
The US Congress opposed such a delay. The tax cuts and spending law signed in 2025 provided $750 million for F/A-XX, while another $1.4 billion was allocated for fiscal year 2026.
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Replacing the Super Hornet
A Pentagon spokesperson said the department continues to work on awarding an F/A-XX contract in the near future but provided no additional information.
The new carrier-based fighter is expected to become a key element of the US Navy's Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems and replace the aging F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, which have been in service since the 1990s. The F/A-XX is expected to have enhanced stealth capabilities, greater range and endurance, and the ability to interact with unmanned combat aircraft and carrier aviation air defense systems of the Navy.
The first production F/A-XX aircraft are expected to enter service in the 2030s. F/A-18 fighters are projected to remain in operation into the 2040s.
