Boeing Wins Contract for Next-Generation Strike Fighter

The U.S. Navy has chosen Boeing to build its next-generation strike fighter, the F/A-XX. This decision comes after over a year of delays in awarding a contract, with an original announcement date set for March 2025 but pushed back due to concerns about engineering and manufacturing capacity at Boeing and competitor Northrop Grumman.

Boeing has been awarded a contract valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase, which will procure multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing. The F/A-XX is expected to enter service in the 2030s, with the goal of augmenting and eventually replacing legacy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.

The selection of Boeing's bid marks a significant milestone for the company, which has been investing heavily in its secure manufacturing facility in St. Louis. The facility is set to link future work on F/A-XX for the first time, with construction ongoing at a cost of $2 billion and covering 1 million square feet.

According to Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, the F/A-XX represents 'a critical pillar in our commitment to maintaining peace through strength.' The platform is expected to dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter.