Boeing Wins $20 Billion F/A-XX Contract, Boosts Sixth-Generation Fighter Efforts
The U.S. Navy has selected Boeing for its F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter program, beating out rivals Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The development contract is valued at over $20 billion and covers multiple test aircraft for various testing purposes.
The newly released rendering of the F/A-XX provides a detailed view of its configuration, showing a very broad fuselage and large wing area, with an emphasis on internal volume to carry substantial fuel, weapons, and mission equipment while maintaining low observability.
The aircraft has a single-seat cockpit, which was not expected by some due to the complexity of its missions. The new rendering also provides a clearer view of the engine intake arrangement, which is positioned on the lower sides of the fuselage and relatively far aft of the nose.
The F/A-XX shares similarities with Boeing's F-47 being developed for the Air Force, both featuring broad, tailless configurations, similar wing geometry, and an emphasis on internal volume. The two aircraft may share substantial underlying technology and design architecture, although the extent of this commonality remains unknown.
The development of the F/A-XX has gained greater urgency due to rapid progress being made by Chinese sixth-generation fighters, with China expected to bring its first flights into service around 2030, while the F-47 and F/A-XX are expected to enter service in the early 2040s.