Boeing Dominates Next-Gen Fighter Market with Navy Contract
Boeing has secured a major contract to build the US Navy's next-generation strike fighter, dubbed F/A-XX. The move solidifies Boeing's position as the primary producer of future fighter jets for the Pentagon. According to sources, the selection effectively locks out its competitors, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, from the sixth-generation American fighter jet marketplace.
The contract, valued at over $20B for the full-scale development phase, will see Boeing develop and produce multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing. The F/A-XX is expected to fly beginning in the 2030s.
Undersecretary of Defense Michael Duffey praised the selection, stating that the F/A-XX 'will dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter.' Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao added that the sixth-generation fighter is a 'generational leap in air superiority' and will provide unparalleled capabilities to fight, win, and come home safe.
Northrop Grumman offered a statement saying they had presented a highly survivable, digitally advanced sixth-generation fighter to the US Navy and look forward to receiving additional information about their selection. Boeing declined to comment ahead of the contract award.