Boeing has been selected to develop the US Navy’s next generation stealth fighter, securing a major $20 billion development contract and strengthening its position in the American military aviation industry.
The program, known as F/A-XX, is expected to replace the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and become a central part of its future carrier based air combat capabilities. The first production aircraft are expected to enter service during the 2030s.
Boeing Defeats Northrop Grumman
Boeing was selected over Northrop Grumman for the development program after the two companies emerged as the final competitors.
The initial contract is worth about $20 billion and covers the development and production of test aircraft. The program could eventually become worth hundreds of billions of dollars as production expands and potential international customers place orders.
The selection gives Boeing two major sixth generation fighter programs in consecutive years. The company was previously chosen to develop the US Air Force’s F-47 fighter.
A Major Return to Fighter Aircraft
The F/A-XX contract represents an important expansion of Boeing’s defense business.
Boeing has a long history of producing carrier based fighter aircraft for the US Navy. Its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has been a major part of the Navy’s carrier aviation fleet, and the new aircraft is intended to eventually replace it.
The company’s experience with naval fighters was an important factor in its competition with Northrop Grumman. Boeing had also faced questions about whether it could provide enough engineering capacity and suppliers to work simultaneously on both the F-47 and F/A-XX programs.
St. Louis Production Operations Get a Boost
The new program is particularly significant for Boeing’s fighter production operations in St. Louis, Missouri.
The facility is approaching the end of production for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. The F/A-XX provides a major new program that can support the workforce and industrial infrastructure already developed around military aircraft production.
Boeing has also invested in new facilities intended to support multiple next generation defense programs.
F/A-XX Will Become Part of a Larger Combat System
The Navy’s new fighter is being developed as the centerpiece of its Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems.
The aircraft is expected to incorporate advanced stealth capabilities, greater range and endurance, and the ability to operate alongside uncrewed combat aircraft.
It will also need to integrate with carrier based air defense systems and other elements of the Navy’s future combat network.
This means the program extends beyond the development of a single aircraft. The Navy is building a broader system designed to connect crewed aircraft, autonomous platforms, sensors and weapons.
Program Faced Years of Delays
The F/A-XX program has faced delays and disagreements over funding and industrial capacity.
Some Pentagon officials previously sought to delay the program by as much as three years because of concerns about engineering resources and the ability of the US defense industry to manage multiple major fighter programs simultaneously.
Congress ultimately continued funding for the project, providing $750 million in 2025 and another $1.4 billion in fiscal 2026.
The decision to proceed reflects the importance Washington has placed on maintaining the Navy’s future carrier based fighter capability.
Boeing Now Holds Two Sixth Generation Fighter Programs
Boeing’s latest contract follows its selection in 2025 to develop the Air Force’s F-47.
Holding both major US sixth generation fighter programs creates a significant opportunity for Boeing’s defense division. It also places substantial demands on the company’s engineering teams, manufacturing facilities and supplier network.
The two programs will require Boeing to manage large scale development work at the same time while maintaining existing defense and commercial aviation programs.
Super Hornet Will Continue Flying for Years
The arrival of the F/A-XX will not mean an immediate end to the Super Hornet fleet.
The F/A-18E/F has been in service since the 1990s and is expected to continue operating into the 2040s. The Navy also plans to continue acquiring Lockheed Martin’s F-35C aircraft for its carrier fleet.
The F/A-XX will eventually operate alongside the F-35C, creating a future carrier aviation fleet built around multiple types of crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
Competition With Advanced Chinese Aircraft Adds Urgency
The program has gained additional importance as China develops and fields increasingly advanced combat aircraft.
US officials have argued that delays could leave the Navy without a modern carrier based fighter designed for the operational environment of the 2030s and beyond.
The F/A-XX is therefore being developed around requirements for longer range, advanced survivability and greater integration with autonomous systems.
A Long Term Opportunity for Boeing
Boeing’s selection gives the company a major new defense program at a time when its fighter production operations are transitioning away from older aircraft.
The initial $20 billion development contract could eventually expand substantially as the Navy moves toward production. International sales could further increase the program’s overall value if foreign governments eventually seek to purchase the aircraft.
For Boeing, the F/A-XX award also creates a long term manufacturing and engineering opportunity in St. Louis while strengthening its role in the development of the next generation of US military aircraft.
The immediate focus will now shift toward developing the test aircraft and meeting the technical requirements of a program that is expected to shape US naval aviation through the 2030s and beyond.
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