Boeing Wins $20 Billion Contract to Build Next-Generation Carrier Fighter
The US Navy has awarded Boeing a contract worth over $20 billion to build its next-generation carrier fighter, the F/A-XX. The aircraft will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler from the 2030s.
The competition was years in the making, with the Navy issuing a formal request for information in April 2012. However, it wasn't until September 2026 that Boeing was finally awarded the contract, after Northrop Grumman was eliminated in March 2025.
According to the Pentagon, the F/A-XX will have multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing. It will also have a range of over 25% more than today's strike fighters, which is crucial for the Navy as it seeks to increase its reach in contested airspace.
Boeing has been preparing for this moment for years, investing heavily in digital engineering and building a new secure factory for advanced combat aircraft in St. Louis. Its defence chief, Steve Parker, said that delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always the plan, and they invested accordingly.