Key facts
- Boeing will build the US Navy's sixth-generation strike fighter, the F/A-XX.
- The contract is valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase.
- The F/A-XX is expected to fly beginning in the 2030s.
- Boeing also won the contract for the Air Force's next-generation fighter, the F-47, in March 2025.
- The F/A-XX is expected to replace the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.
Boeing has been chosen by the US Navy to develop and produce its next-generation stealth fighter, the F/A-XX, securing a dominant position in the Pentagon's future fighter jet programs. This award follows Boeing's March 2025 win for the Air Force's equivalent program, the F-47, effectively shutting out major competitors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman from the sixth-generation American fighter jet market for the foreseeable future.
The agreement, valued at over $20 billion for the full-scale development phase, includes the procurement of multiple test aircraft. The F/A-XX is slated to begin flying in the 2030s and is intended to replace the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. Officials have stated the new fighter will enhance operational reach and provide a decisive combat advantage.
The F/A-XX program has experienced a complex development path, including delays and internal disagreements within the Department of Defense. Despite these challenges, congressional and Navy leadership emphasized its crucial role in future air power. Northrop Grumman acknowledged the selection, stating they had offered a competitive bid for the program.