Boeing Upsets Lockheed Martin with Surprise Win of Sixth-Generation Fighter Contract

For decades, Lockheed Martin held a near-monopoly on building America's stealth fighter jets. The company produced both fifth-generation F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, as well as older models like the F-16.

The landscape changed in 2025 when Boeing won the contract for the sixth-generation NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) fighter, beating out Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. This was a significant upset, given that Lockheed had dominated the market for years.

Northrop Grumman, which has one of the proudest fighter heritages in the industry, withdrew from the NGAD competition to focus on building bombers instead. The company is currently working on the B-21 Raider, a stealth bomber.

The introduction of new players like General Atomics and Anduril, who are building semi-autonomous 'loyal wingman' jets, has also shaken up the industry. These drones are expected to fly alongside crewed fighters in the future.