The US Department of Defense has tapped Boeing for a multi-billion-dollar contract to produce its F/A-XX aircraft, the sixth-generation fighter jet intended to replace the legacy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers in the 2030s. According to an official announcement on Tuesday (US time), the American aerospace company won a Pentagon contract worth more than $20 billion to fully develop the next-generation strike fighter.
The new deal marks the second such selection for Boeing’s sixth-generation fighter program in consecutive years after it was tapped for the US Air Force’s F-47 program in 2025. It makes the US company the only provider of a sixth-generation tactical fighter for both the US Navy and US Air Force.
Under the US national security and export laws, technical and programmatic details of F/A-XX remain classified, Boeing said in a press release. Meanwhile, Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, hailed the F/A-XX as a “critical pillar in our commitment to maintaining peace through strength.”
“F/A-XX will dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter,” he said in the announcement, calling the aircraft a “crucial, non-negotiable investment in US national security and long-term combat capabilities.
Boeing beats only rival to bag $20B US Navy deal
The US aerospace giant defeated rival company Northrop Grumman for the contract, which will involve producing test aircraft. Lockheed Martin, which produces the F-35 stealth fighter flown by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, dropped out of the running for the Pentagon deal last year.
Officials expect the program to grow hundreds of billions during its existence as production ramps up, potentially attracting global customers. According to the Congressional Research Service, Boeing’s new fleet for the US Navy is expected to include more advanced stealth features than its fifth-generation predecessors. Sensors that can use artificial intelligence and be armed with lasers or hypersonic weapons may also be included, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Steve Parker, president and chief executive officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security, celebrated the milestone, saying, “It’s an honour to be selected to produce the Navy’s first sixth–generation platform. Backed by decades of work, bolstered by game-changing innovations and solidified by the investments we’ve made in new facilities uniquely suited to build multiple products with next-generation capabilities, our dedicated and talented team is ready to execute this critical program.”
Parker emphasised that delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always Boeing’s plan. He also spoke highly of the company’s readiness and capability to build multiple concurrent future combat aircraft franchise programs.
In the meantime, construction on Boeing’s secure manufacturing facility, which would be the largest in the United States, is ongoing. Located in St. Louis (Missouri), the facility will be part of the world’s most advanced, all-digital aerospace design and manufacturing system.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has since cheered the development, noting that it “cements” the US state as a “critical leader in the future of America’s air dominance, innovation and national defence.”