Boeing Lands $20 Billion F/A-XX Contract from U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy has selected Boeing to build its next-generation fighter aircraft, known as F/A-XX, after an over 18-month-long pause in news about the program's progress.

The initial contract for continued work on F/A-XX totals $20 billion dollars and covers several initial airframes as well as associated costs with manufacturing and remaining development. The Boeing St. Louis facility will be the main production site, where a massive 1.1 million square feet expansion is nearing completion.

This award marks a significant milestone for Boeing, which has also won the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance program (now referred to as F-47). Speculation over the U.S.'s industrial capacity was sparked between the two awards, with some questioning whether companies like Northrop and Boeing could handle multiple 6th generation programs.

Boeing's expansion of its development and manufacturing capabilities for fighter aircraft likely proved critical to its success. In a statement, Steve Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said: 'Delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always our plan, and we invested accordingly. We are ready and able to build multiple concurrent future combat aircraft franchise programs.'

The F/A-XX program aims to bring a more integrated and advanced aircraft to America's flattops, with features such as a new radar, next-generation propulsion, manned/unmanned teaming, greater payload and fuel capacity, and sensor fusion. The aircraft is expected to augment the F-35Cs in service and replace the ageing F/A-18E/Fs.

With Congress having restored funding for the program after an initial request of $76 million dollars was met with skepticism, the U.S. Navy hopes to see F/A-XX in service as fast as possible. If the program follows a similar pace to the Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance program, F/A-XX could fly as soon as the end of the decade.