Boeing wins US Navy F/A-XX sixth-generation
Boeing secured the US Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier-based fighter contract on September 29, 2026, a deal worth over $20 billion for full-scale
The US Navy selected Boeing to develop the F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter on September 29, 2026. The contract, announced by the US Department of War, is valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase, defeating competitor Northrop Grumman. Boeing states all technical and programmatic details about the new fighter remain classified under U.S. national security and export laws.
The award includes procurement of multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract is worth about $20 billion.
Program significance and timeline
The F/A-XX is expected to augment and eventually replace legacy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers beginning in the 2030s. It will operate alongside the F-35C and uncrewed aircraft, including the carrier-based Collaborative Combat Aircraft the Navy is now seeking.
Officials said the F/A-XX will have greater range than current aircraft and serve as a stealthy tip of the spear for the carrier air wing. The Navy first identified the need for a new carrier aircraft for the 2030s back in 2008.
Competitive landscape and historical context
Boeing's win gives it control of both major U.S. sixth-generation fighter programs. It had been competing against Northrop Grumman for the F/A-XX since Lockheed Martin was eliminated from the competition in March 2025. That same month, Boeing won the right to develop the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, dubbed the F-47.
These wins collectively exclude Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman from the sixth-generation American fighter jet marketplace. No single company has won separate U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy frontline fighter competitions since the 1970s.
| Company | Program | Service | Selection Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonnell Douglas | F-15 | US Air Force | December 1969 |
| McDonnell Douglas/Northrop | F/A-18 Hornet | US Navy | May 2, 1975 |
| Lockheed Martin | F-35 (joint program) | US Air Force, Navy, Marines | October 2001 |
| Boeing | F-47 | US Air Force | March 21, 2025 |
| Boeing | F/A-XX | US Navy | September 29, 2026 |
Boeing absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997, inheriting the St. Louis site that built both the historic F-15 and F/A-18.
Industrial and strategic implications
Boeing Defense, Space & Security CEO Steve Parker acknowledged concerns about producing both advanced fighters simultaneously. "Delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always our plan, and we invested accordingly," Parker said.
Michael Duffey, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, described the fighter as a critical pillar in the commitment to maintaining peace through strength. The Navy has kept public information about the F/A-XX program to a minimum.
The F/A-XX will operate alongside the F-35C and uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft as part of the Navy’s future carrier air wing.
