Boeing Lands $20 Billion Contract for US Navy's Sixth-Generation Fighter
The US Navy has awarded Boeing a $20 billion contract to develop its new sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter, beating out Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin in the competition.
The contract is part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which aims to create an advanced power-projection capability from aircraft carriers. The F/A-XX will be interoperable with manned and unmanned platforms, including Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), and will increase their capabilities when operating together.
Boeing's proposal focused on developing a single platform that could serve as the basis for both the F/A-XX and the US Air Force's future sixth-generation fighter, the F-47. The company emphasized its ability to deliver two advanced fighters in parallel, with investments made in new facilities designed to manufacture multiple products with next-generation capabilities.
The Navy envisions the F/A-XX replacing the current F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler in the 2030s. This raises possibilities that the sixth-generation fighter may have a specialized electronic warfare variant or incorporate such capabilities into its basic design.