Boeing Wins $20 Billion Contract for Sixth-Generation Carrier-Based Fighter
The US Navy has awarded Boeing a contract worth over $20 billion to develop the F/A-XX, a sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter that will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler from the 2030s onward. This marks a significant win for Boeing, which had faced the risk of losing its fighter line once Super Hornet production ended.
The F/A-XX is designed to offer greater range, higher survivability, and a denser combat network than today's fighters. It will be able to operate alongside the F-35C and future collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), and will have to offer electronic attack capabilities superior to those of the Growler.
Boeing will build the F/A-XX in St. Louis, Missouri, where manufacturing of the F-47 is also concentrated. The program's development phase has been delayed due to budget disputes and concerns about the industrial base's ability to sustain both the Air Force's F-47 and the naval program at the same time.
The award marks a significant shift in the US military's procurement strategy, with Boeing becoming the sole prime contractor for both of the country's crewed sixth-generation fighters. Northrop Grumman, which had bid on the contract, has expressed disappointment but has not commented further.