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Boeing has won the race to develop the next U.S. Navy carrier-based combat aircraft less than 18 months after the company got the nod to build the F-47 for the U.S. Air Force.
The Navy’s Sept. 29 announcement cements Boeing’s position as the developer of the next generation of U.S. tactical combat aircraft, completing a turn-around less than a decade after some feared the company’s historic fighter production center in St. Louis would end with the demise of the production for the F/A-18E/F and F-15E.
The Navy, in an announcement, said the contract is valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase, covering multiple test aircraft for ground, air worthiness, systems and weapons integration testing.
Boeing beat out a rival offer from Northrop Grumman in the F/A-XX competition. Northrop had high hopes for the program as it looked to regain the role as fighter aircraft prime contractor.
“The F/A-XX is a critical pillar in our commitment to maintaining peace through strength. F/A-XX will dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter,” said Michael Duffey, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. “The F/A-XX platform represents a crucial, non-negotiable investment in America’s national security and long-term air combat capabilities.”
The Navy expects the F/A-XX to perform multiple duties in the carrier air wing, replacing the Boeing F/A-18E/F fighter and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft beginning in the 2030s. The new fighter’s primary task would be long-range strike in the most heavily defended airspace. It would also play a role in defending the carrier from air and missile attacks.
The award was announced shortly before the end of the fiscal year when funding added to the Pentagon's account for the program that was due to expire. Congress provided $972 million in F/A-XX research and development funding in the fiscal 2026 defense appropriations bill earmarked for awarding an engineering and manufacturing development contract to a single vendor and to support an accelerated initial operational capability.
The Navy has long awaited the award, providing Pentagon leadership with its input well ahead of the announcement. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle has lamented the extended delay in awarding the F/A-XX contract, saying in August the slowed timeline was putting more pressure on F/A-18 sustainment and requiring the F-35 program to improve its performance to bridge the gap until the sixth-generation fighter arrives.
The new fighter will be a cornerstone of a modernized carrier air wing, which is also expected to feature the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray, an uncrewed multi-role refueling aircraft, and a future fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
The service previously said the F/A-XX design will rely on a derivative of an existing fighter engine, foregoing a new class of adaptive propulsion systems in development by the Air Force.
The U.S. Navy, the same day, awarded Boeing a $16.7 million contract to plan and prepare shutdown of the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Growler production lines.
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