The United States Navy has yet to name the company that will develop and produce its next-generation F/A-XX multirole carrier-based jet fighter, which will eventually replace the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet.
There has been speculation for months that a U.S. Navy decision on the sixth-generation fighter would be coming soon. The delays in naming the prime contractor stemmed from concerns about whether the defense industrial base could simultaneously build two distinct sixth-generation fighters.
Although the Lockheed Martin F-35 multi-role, fifth-generation stealth fighter was developed with three variants to accommodate the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and United States Marine Corps, history won’t repeat itself, as the services require very different aircraft.
It is also being reported that the sea service could receive up to $1 billion in fiscal year 2026 (FY26) funding to support the future fighter.
Which Company Will It Be?
After Lockheed Martin was eliminated from the competition nearly a year ago, it was down to Boeing and Northrop Grumman.
It is unclear if either company has an edge, with Boeing selected as the winner of the United States Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program last March.
President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in an Oval Office address that the aircraft would be dubbed the F-47, a nod to Trump being the 47th president in his second term.
Current plans call for the U.S. Air Force to acquire at least 185 F-47s, which will replace the Lockheed Martin F-32 Raptor air superiority fighter on a one-for-one basis in the early 2030s.
Northrop Grumman is also the prime contractor on the B-21 Raider, the United States Air Force’s long-range strategic bomber that is set to enter service later this decade, replacing the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and the Northrop B-2 Spirit. It will operate alongside the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, and current plans call for the Air Force to receive at least 100 of the flying-wing stealth bombers, with some officials suggesting that at least twice that number could be required.
A Very Big Contract
According to a report from Defense Scoop, citing the conference defense appropriations act for FY26, $972 million in research and development funds for the F/A-XX has already been earmarked.
“The plus-up not only gives a critical lifeline to the program, but also urges the sea service to move forward with a contract award as soon as possible,” Defense Scoop suggested.
That is a significant increase from the $74 million that the Department of Defense (DoD) had requested in its FY26 budget.
Lawmakers had previously included $454 million for the F/A-XX with the understanding that the U.S. Navy would have awarded an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract by March 2025. However, March came and went without an a contract award being issued, and the year passed by.
“Rather than proceeding with a Milestone B award, the Department expended nearly all fiscal year 2025 funding on contract extensions with minimal demonstrated value to the program,” the FY26 defense appropriations bill noted.
As Defense Scoop further explained, lawmakers have asked U.S. Navy officials to submit a report on the aircraft’s acquisition strategy and program schedule, including the EMD contract award.
The new funding could be a much-needed lifeline for the program, but lawmakers are sending a clear signal to the U.S. Navy. The F/A-XX needs to move from the concept and proposal stage to the EMD this year.
What Can We Expect From the F/A-XX?
As noted, the F/A-XX is meant to replace the aging F/A-18 Super Hornet, as well as the EA-18 Growler electronic warfare (EW) variant. But it will operate alongside the F-35C Lightning II, the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter.
Much like the U.S. Air Force’s F-47, it will feature advanced stealth capabilities and advanced signature management across radar, infrared, and electronic domains.
It will also operate alongside unmanned autonomous aircraft that can serve as “Loyal Wingmen” and force multipliers. The drones can also act as a distributed sensor network, operate as a strike platform, and serve as command-and-control nodes with a future carrier air wing.
Whereas the F-47’s primary mission will be air superiority with a secondary ground-attack role, much like the F-22 Raptor, the F/A-XX will likely be an actual multirole aircraft capable of long-range air-to-air and maritime strike missions.
