Boeing Bags $20 Billion Next-Gen Fighter Contract
Boeing has been selected to build the US Navy's next-generation stealth fighter, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. The contract is worth $20 billion for test aircraft production and could grow to hundreds of billions over its lifetime as production ramps up and international customers place orders.
The F/A-XX program marks Boeing's second consecutive major win on fighter jets, following its selection in March last year to build the Air Force's new stealthy F-47 fighter. The company's long history building carrier-based fighters for the Navy, including the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, helped offset concerns about whether Boeing could field enough engineers and suppliers to execute both programs simultaneously.
The contract is a significant boost for Boeing's fighter production operations in St. Louis, Missouri, which is shutting down the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines.