Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing fiercely for the contract to develop the new F/A-XX fighter, which will replace the Navy’s aging fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets that have been in service since the 1990s.
According to the Reuters, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the program’s progression on Friday. The Navy could announce the winning company by the end of this week, although similar decisions have faced last-minute delays in the past.
Reports suggest that the F/A-XX program will feature cutting-edge stealth capabilities, extended range, longer service life, and integration with unmanned combat aircraft. Experts note that China is rapidly advancing its own fifth- and sixth-generation fighter programs, making this decision crucial for maintaining U.S. technological parity.
One major cause of delay was a funding dispute between the Pentagon and Congress. The Pentagon initially requested $74 million in seed funding, while Congress added $750 million to accelerate the project. An additional $1.4 billion has been earmarked for fiscal year 2026.
Sources say debates also focused on each company’s engineering capacity and supply chain resilience. However, the Pentagon has now decided to move forward with the program.
The contract could be worth tens of billions of dollars, with the first aircraft expected to enter service in the 2030s. The current F/A-18 fleet is likely to remain operational into the 2040s.
