Revived F/A-XX carrier-based sixth-generation fighter program for the U.S. Navy is finally set to name a contractor soon. The winner could be announced this week, indicating that the selection has already been made, with only the venue for the announcement left undecided.
Breaking Defense reports, based on its sources, that the developer was originally expected to be announced last weekend during Donald Trump's visit to the Norfolk Naval Base for the U.S. Navy's 250th anniversary, but the announcement was postponed.
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Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the contract. Boeing appears to be offering a carrier version of its upcoming F-47, which in the Air Force variant is scheduled to fly in two years.
Northrop Grumman's proposal remains unknown, as the company withdrew from the F-47 development contest in 2023. Lockheed Martin, previously a competitor, was removed from F/A-XX development.
The choice between Boeing and Northrop Grumman involves more than just technical capabilities and cost. It also concerns risk distribution, since the Navy's future fighter component would rely on Boeing, and the opportunity to unify the Navy and Air Force fleets.
The F/A-XX winner reflects Pentagon trust in Boeing and confidence that the company can supply sixth-generation fighters across the armed forces. It also shows the Navy's assessment of the F-47's actual capabilities, given its historically distinct approach to carrier aircraft.
For Boeing, the contract represents a continuation of supplying the Navy, as it currently manages the F/A-18E/F, which F/A-XX is set to replace. For Northrop Grumman, it would mark a return to fighter production.
Northrop and Grumman merged after the famous Pentagon dinner on August 30, 1994, with the B-21 being their only new aircraft since. Northrop's last separate fighter for the Navy was the legendary F-14 Tomcat, which it won over McDonnell Douglas in a notable late-1960s competition. The F/A-18 was developed by Northrop with McDonnell Douglas's help, later acquired by Boeing, which continued producing the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, significantly updated from the original model.
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