US Navy to Announce Contractor for Next-Generation Carrier-Based F/A-XX Stealth Fighter
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The U.S. Navy is expected to announce this week the selected contractor for its next-generation carrier-based fighter program, known as F/A-XX, as reported by Reuters on March 25, 2025. Designed to replace the current fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, this program represents a strategic investment spanning several decades, with an estimated value potentially reaching hundreds of billions of dollars.
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An F/A-18F Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 conducted a touch-and-go landing on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on December 6, 2023. (Picture source: US DoD)
This announcement comes amid increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in response to China’s growing military capabilities. The initial contract, covering the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase, is valued at several billion dollars and marks a critical step in the evolution of U.S. naval aviation.
The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole combat aircraft designed for carrier operations, offering mission flexibility. Developed by Boeing in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, and Raytheon, it represents an enhanced version of the original Hornet, featuring a 20% larger airframe, increased payload capacity, and 41% greater range. Powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines, it reaches a maximum speed of 1,900 km/h and has an operational range of 2,346 km. It is equipped with advanced avionics, including the APG-79 AESA radar, the AN/ALQ-214 electronic warfare system, and an upgraded cockpit for improved situational awareness. Operated by the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force, it performs various missions, including air superiority, precision strikes, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its EA-18G Growler variant.
The Super Hornet’s armament includes a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints capable of carrying a range of missiles and bombs, including AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and AGM-88 HARM. Its defensive capabilities incorporate advanced electronic countermeasures, including onboard jammers and towed decoys. Designed for survivability, it features high maneuverability, a digital flight control system, and night vision-compatible avionics. Since entering service in 1999, production has remained on schedule, ensuring a modernized fleet for the coming decades.
The F/A-XX, which will succeed it, is being developed to offer enhanced stealth capabilities, greater operational range, and optimized integration with carrier-based air defense systems and autonomous combat drones. Its objective is to strengthen the endurance and operational reach of carrier-based air operations in increasingly contested environments.
Three major defense contractors—Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman—submitted detailed proposals, reportedly accompanied by prototypes for evaluation. However, Lockheed Martin was allegedly eliminated from consideration due to challenges in meeting the Navy’s radar and carrier landing requirements.
Despite recent setbacks, including a labor strike, issues with the KC-46 tanker program, and delays with the Starliner project, Boeing recently secured the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 contract. This win may allow the company to leverage shared technology and reduce production costs if it is also awarded the F/A-XX contract.
Northrop Grumman remains a strong contender due to its expertise in stealth platforms, demonstrated by the development of the B-2 and B-21 strategic bombers. However, the company has not designed a carrier-based fighter since the F-14 Tomcat, which predates Northrop’s acquisition of Grumman in 1994. The outcome of this competition will significantly impact Northrop Grumman’s future as a fighter aircraft manufacturer.
The Navy’s decision comes shortly after the appointment of the new Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, and the assumption of duties by Admiral James W. Kilby as Chief of Naval Operations.
The F/A-XX program is part of the broader Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, a joint effort with the U.S. Air Force to develop sixth-generation fighters designed for networked operations alongside autonomous combat drones. One of the program’s primary goals is to enhance the reach of aerial operations to counter increasingly sophisticated air defense systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
If Boeing is awarded the contract, the company may benefit from economies of scale and strengthen its position in the stealth fighter market. However, Northrop Grumman could still play a role as a subcontractor or technology supplier for the F/A-XX, particularly in stealth and sensor technologies.
The selection of a contractor will mark a crucial step in shaping the future of U.S. naval air power. The development of this new aircraft will determine the Navy’s ability to operate in highly contested environments while maintaining strategic superiority in the Indo-Pacific. The announcement will also provide insight into the technologies and strategies that will be prioritized in the coming years.
The first F/A-XX aircraft are expected to enter service in the 2030s, while the F/A-18E/F fleet will remain operational into the 2040s. The Navy’s official announcement, anticipated this week, will define the direction of this significant program and mark the beginning of a new era for carrier-based combat aviation.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
The U.S. Navy is expected to announce this week the selected contractor for its next-generation carrier-based fighter program, known as F/A-XX, as reported by Reuters on March 25, 2025. Designed to replace the current fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, this program represents a strategic investment spanning several decades, with an estimated value potentially reaching hundreds of billions of dollars.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 conducted a touch-and-go landing on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on December 6, 2023. (Picture source: US DoD)
This announcement comes amid increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in response to China’s growing military capabilities. The initial contract, covering the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase, is valued at several billion dollars and marks a critical step in the evolution of U.S. naval aviation.
The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole combat aircraft designed for carrier operations, offering mission flexibility. Developed by Boeing in collaboration with Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, and Raytheon, it represents an enhanced version of the original Hornet, featuring a 20% larger airframe, increased payload capacity, and 41% greater range. Powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines, it reaches a maximum speed of 1,900 km/h and has an operational range of 2,346 km. It is equipped with advanced avionics, including the APG-79 AESA radar, the AN/ALQ-214 electronic warfare system, and an upgraded cockpit for improved situational awareness. Operated by the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force, it performs various missions, including air superiority, precision strikes, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its EA-18G Growler variant.
The Super Hornet’s armament includes a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints capable of carrying a range of missiles and bombs, including AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and AGM-88 HARM. Its defensive capabilities incorporate advanced electronic countermeasures, including onboard jammers and towed decoys. Designed for survivability, it features high maneuverability, a digital flight control system, and night vision-compatible avionics. Since entering service in 1999, production has remained on schedule, ensuring a modernized fleet for the coming decades.
The F/A-XX, which will succeed it, is being developed to offer enhanced stealth capabilities, greater operational range, and optimized integration with carrier-based air defense systems and autonomous combat drones. Its objective is to strengthen the endurance and operational reach of carrier-based air operations in increasingly contested environments.
Three major defense contractors—Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman—submitted detailed proposals, reportedly accompanied by prototypes for evaluation. However, Lockheed Martin was allegedly eliminated from consideration due to challenges in meeting the Navy’s radar and carrier landing requirements.
Despite recent setbacks, including a labor strike, issues with the KC-46 tanker program, and delays with the Starliner project, Boeing recently secured the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 contract. This win may allow the company to leverage shared technology and reduce production costs if it is also awarded the F/A-XX contract.
Northrop Grumman remains a strong contender due to its expertise in stealth platforms, demonstrated by the development of the B-2 and B-21 strategic bombers. However, the company has not designed a carrier-based fighter since the F-14 Tomcat, which predates Northrop’s acquisition of Grumman in 1994. The outcome of this competition will significantly impact Northrop Grumman’s future as a fighter aircraft manufacturer.
The Navy’s decision comes shortly after the appointment of the new Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, and the assumption of duties by Admiral James W. Kilby as Chief of Naval Operations.
The F/A-XX program is part of the broader Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative, a joint effort with the U.S. Air Force to develop sixth-generation fighters designed for networked operations alongside autonomous combat drones. One of the program’s primary goals is to enhance the reach of aerial operations to counter increasingly sophisticated air defense systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
If Boeing is awarded the contract, the company may benefit from economies of scale and strengthen its position in the stealth fighter market. However, Northrop Grumman could still play a role as a subcontractor or technology supplier for the F/A-XX, particularly in stealth and sensor technologies.
The selection of a contractor will mark a crucial step in shaping the future of U.S. naval air power. The development of this new aircraft will determine the Navy’s ability to operate in highly contested environments while maintaining strategic superiority in the Indo-Pacific. The announcement will also provide insight into the technologies and strategies that will be prioritized in the coming years.
The first F/A-XX aircraft are expected to enter service in the 2030s, while the F/A-18E/F fleet will remain operational into the 2040s. The Navy’s official announcement, anticipated this week, will define the direction of this significant program and mark the beginning of a new era for carrier-based combat aviation.
