WASHINGTON, Oct 5 The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a development contract worth over $20 billion to build the F/A‑XX, its first sixth‑generation carrier‑based strike fighter. The agreement covers the full‑scale development phase and funds the purchase of multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems and weapons integration work. Boeing’s design for the jet remains classified under U.S. national‑security and export statutes.
The new aircraft is intended to augment and eventually replace the Navy’s F/A‑18E/F Super Hornets and EA‑18G Growlers beginning in the 2030s, operating from carriers alongside the F‑35C Lightning II. Boeing’s victory also secures the U.S. Air Force’s next‑generation crewed fighter, the F‑47, which the service selected over Lockheed Martin on March 21 2025, giving the company prime contractor status for both of America’s sixth‑generation programs.
Northrop Grumman, which may still protest the decision, acknowledged the outcome and said it is awaiting further details on the selection criteria. In a separate action, the Navy granted Boeing about $16.7 million to plan and prepare the shutdown of the Super Hornet and Growler production lines. Public records show the F/A‑XX requirement first appeared in June 2008 as part of the Navy’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems, distinct from the Air Force’s NGAD effort.
The jet is specified as a multirole strike fighter with air‑superiority capability, demanding supercruise, advanced stealth, next‑generation sensors and networking, and a 25 % range increase over current strike fighters. Concepts under discussion include maximum sensor connectivity, electronically configured “smart skins” that embed sensors in the fuselage, and an open architecture to allow rapid swapping of payloads and weapons.
Looking ahead, the programme will move into ground‑test and flight‑test phases, with the Navy watching for any protests from Northrop Grumman and monitoring how the classified design evolves toward carrier suitability in the 2030s.
