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

Boeing has won the contract to build the US Navy's next-generation F/A-XX carrier fighter, a $20 billion deal that marks a new era for the naval service. The aircraft is designed to extend the effective strike range of the U.S. carrier air wing, which has shrunk over the last 20 years. According to Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the F/A-XX will 'dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter.'

The new fighter is set to enter service in the 2030s, when the first Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets leave the fleet. The Navy has shifted its position on the role of the F/A-XX from a 'missile truck' to a stealthy penetrator that would command swarms of armed drones against enemy targets.

Bryan Clark, a naval analyst with the Hudson Institute, noted that range is a critical characteristic for the F/A-XX, and the Navy will have to balance this requirement with the size limitations of an aircraft carrier. The Air Force has already announced its own sixth-generation air superiority fighter with a range of 1,000 nautical miles.