Boeing Wins $20 Billion Contract for U.S. Navy's Next-Gen Fighter

Boeing has secured a major contract to develop the U.S. Navy's next-generation carrier-based combat aircraft, known as the F/A-XX. The company won the competition against rival Northrop Grumman, with the Navy awarding Boeing a contract valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase. This comes less than 18 months after Boeing was chosen to build the F-47 for the U.S. Air Force.

The new fighter will play a crucial role in maintaining air superiority and extending operational reach, according to Michael Duffey, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. The F/A-XX is expected to replace the Boeing F/A-18E/F fighter and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft beginning in the 2030s.

The contract announcement came on September 29, just before the end of the fiscal year, with Congress providing $972 million in F/A-XX research and development funding in the fiscal 2026 defense appropriations bill. The Navy has long awaited the award, which will enable the development of a modernized carrier air wing featuring the Boeing MQ-25 Stingray, an uncrewed multi-role refueling aircraft.