Pentagon Nears Decision on US Navy's F/A-XX Stealth Fighter Contract

The Pentagon has decided which company will build the US Navy's next-generation stealth fighter and could announce the winner within the coming weeks or sooner, according to two people briefed on the matter, as reported by Reuters. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the contract, which previous programmes of similar scope suggest could be worth tens of billions of dollars over its lifetime.

The programme, currently unnamed but designated F/A-XX, has faced years of delays and funding disputes. Some Pentagon officials had sought to postpone it by up to three years over concerns about engineering and supply chain capacity. However, Congress pushed back by allocating $750 million for F/A-XX in the major tax-cut and spending bill signed into law in 2025, followed by another $1.4 billion in fiscal 2026. A Pentagon spokesperson said, “We continue work to award the F/A-XX contract in the near future. There is no additional information at this time.”

The F/A-XX programme is moving forward as China rapidly fields advanced combat aircraft, including aircraft that Beijing describes as sixth-generation. The stakes of further delays are high, with the US Navy needing a modern fighter capable of operating from aircraft carriers in the 2030s and beyond. A US official has said delays could potentially undermine the Navy's ability to project power in contested environments. The carrier-borne fighter will be the centrepiece of the Navy's Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems. It is intended to replace the ageing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet, which has been in service since the 1990s. The F/A-18s are expected to remain in service into the 2040s.

The new fighter is expected to feature advanced stealth capabilities, improved range and endurance, and the ability to integrate with uncrewed combat aircraft and the Navy's carrier-based air defence systems. The first production jets are expected to enter service in the 2030s. The Pentagon's selection of a contractor would mark a key step in the long-running F/A-XX programme, which has been affected by disputes over funding and the timing of its development. The contract is expected to be significant in value, with previous programmes of a similar scope suggesting a lifetime worth of tens of billions of dollars, according to Reuters.