Boeing Wins $20 Billion Contract for US Navy's Next-Gen Fighter

The US Navy has awarded Boeing a $20 billion contract to develop the super-secret F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter plane.

The F/A-XX is designed to be a multi-role fighter that can operate from carriers, conduct strike missions, and engage surface targets, unlike the dedicated air superiority interceptor being developed by the US Air Force.

The Navy's requirement for a carrier-based fighter means the aircraft must have a more robust airframe with an engine capable of handling catapult launches and wire-arrest landings, as well as being resistant to saltwater spray.

Boeing has been awarded the contract after rival Northrop Grumman was passed over, but details about the F/A-XX are highly classified, leaving much to speculation about its design.