Navy Awards Boeing $20 Billion F/A-XX Contract

By Robert Callahan Pittsburgh, PA · ST. LOUIS —

Published Updated 4 min read

The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a contract worth more than $20 billion for F/A-XX development. The aircraft will augment and eventually replace the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.

ST. LOUIS — The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a contract worth more than $20 billion for the full-scale development of the F/A-XX sixth-generation strike fighter. The agreement includes the procurement of multiple test aircraft for ground testing, airworthiness evaluations, and systems and weapons integration.

Boeing defeated Northrop Grumman in late-stage negotiations for the program. The F/A-XX falls under the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems. The new aircraft is intended to augment and eventually replace the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.

It will operate alongside the F-35C and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Technical and program details remain classified under U.S. national security and export laws.

The F/A-XX is expected to begin flying in the 2030s. Boeing is constructing a secure manufacturing facility in St. Louis for the program.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao described the aircraft as a generational leap in capability. "The Sixth-Generation fighter is a generational leap in air superiority and will provide the world’s best aviators with unparalleled capabilities to fight, win, and come home safe," Cao said.

Steve Parker, President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, stated that it is an honor to be selected to produce the Navy’s first sixth-generation platform. "Delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always our plan, and we invested accordingly. We are ready and able to build multiple concurrent future combat aircraft franchise programs," Parker said. "Investment in facilities is just one part of the story; we’re also investing in technology and people so that we can deliver for our customers," he said.

Timeline

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said, "We are excited to partner with Boeing, and for our warfighters to continue to dominate the skies and defeat our nation’s enemies." He said on the same date, "The Sixth-Generation fighter is a generational leap in air superiority and will provide the world’s best aviators with unparalleled capabilities to fight, win, and come home safe." The Navy also awarded Boeing a separate contract to support the shuttering of the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines. Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey stated, "The F/A-XX is 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."

What's New

Funding records show that in July 2025, the F/A-XX program received $76 million in funding for fiscal year 2026, while the Boeing F-47 program received $3.4 billion, showing a disparity in funding between the two sixth-generation fighter programs. In 2025, the U.S. Navy's F/A-XX program was awarded an additional $897.3 million in funding by Congress to move it into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, showing increased congressional support for the project. The U.S. Navy's F/A-XX program received $76 million in fiscal year 2026 funding and an additional $897.3 million in congressional appropriations to advance into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase.

According to reports, the U.S. Navy selected Boeing for the F/A-XX program, with Boeing beating out Northrop Grumman as its biggest competitor in late-stage negotiations. Boeing was previously selected by the U.S. Air Force in 2025 for the F-47 program, a sixth-generation fighter, and has been involved in the development of the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The U.S. Air Force's F-47 program, which Boeing also won in 2025, received $3.4 billion in funding for fiscal year 2026, more than the F/A-XX program's $76 million in the same period.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on specific contract details regarding Boeing. Twz.com reports that Boeing secured a separate contract from the Navy to support the final shutdown of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines, alongside the F/A-XX development contract.

There are also differing accounts regarding the Navy award to Boeing. A Navy contract award document states that the Navy awarded Boeing a separate contract to support the shuttering of the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines.

Sources also present different information regarding Boeing's recent contracts. A Boeing statement says that Boeing secured the Air Force F-47 sixth-generation fighter contract in March 2025. An Air Force press release states that the Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.4 billion contract to produce 22 F-15EX fighter jets on the same day as the F/A-XX announcement.

Why It Matters

The F/A-XX program has been under development since at least 2008, with a formal request for information issued in April 2012, indicating a long-term strategic planning process for replacing the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The program had faced delays and funding disputes for years, with some Pentagon officials seeking to delay it by up to three years due to concerns over engineering and supply-chain capacity before Congress intervened with additional funding.

Boeing's St. Louis facility, where the F/A-XX will be produced, is also responsible for manufacturing the F-15EX, F-47, and T-7A Red Hawk, raising questions about workforce and production capacity challenges. The selection of Boeing for both the Navy's F/A-XX and the Air Force's F-47 programs consolidates sixth-generation fighter development under one prime contractor, while the simultaneous award for F-15EX production expands the company's immediate manufacturing obligations.

fact_check Facts

The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a contract worth more than $20 billion for the full-scale development of the F/A-XX sixth-generation strike fighter.
The F/A-XX is intended to augment and eventually replace the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.
The F/A-XX will operate alongside the F-35C and Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
The F/A-XX falls under the Next Generation Air Dominance program.
Technical and program details of the F/A-XX remain classified under U.S. national security and export laws.
Boeing is constructing a secure manufacturing facility in St. Louis for the F/A-XX program.
Northrop Grumman was the competitor Boeing defeated for the F/A-XX contract.
The Navy awarded Boeing a separate contract to support the shuttering of the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines.
Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment
"We are joining forces with Boeing to field these capabilities rapidly, ensuring our warfighters possess the lethal and highly networked systems required to deter aggression, project undisputed power, and secure absolute air superiority."
Hung Cao, Acting Navy Secretary
"We are excited to partner with Boeing, and for our warfighters to continue to dominate the skies and defeat our nation’s enemies."
Steve Parker, President and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security
"It’s an honor to be selected to produce the Navy’s first sixth-generation platform."
Mike Kehoe, Governor of Missouri
"St. Louis is Fighterland, USA! Proud of this incredible win that further cements Missouri as a critical leader in the future of America’s air dominance, innovation, and national defense."
Boeing shares rose 2.8% in premarket trading following the contract announcement.

menu_bookBackground & Context

Context and data our newsroom added to the originating report.

Boeing secured the Air Force F-47 sixth-generation fighter contract in March 2025.
The Air Force awarded Boeing a $2.4 billion contract to produce 22 F-15EX fighter jets on the same day as the F/A-XX announcement.
Boeing previously won a $2.4 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force on the same day as the F/A-XX announcement to produce 22 F-15EX fighter jets, indicating Boeing's growing role in multiple sixth-generation fighter programs.
In July 2025, the F/A-XX program received $76 million in funding for fiscal year 2026, while the Boeing F-47 program received $3.4 billion, showing a significant disparity in funding between the two sixth-generation fighter programs.
Boeing secured a separate $16,667,607 contract from the Navy to support the final shutdown of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler production lines, alongside the F/A-XX development contract.
Boeing was previously selected by the U.S. Air Force in 2025 for the F-47 program, a sixth-generation fighter, and has been involved in the development of the F/A-18 Super Hornets.
In 2025, the U.S. Navy's F/A-XX program was awarded an additional $897.3 million in funding by Congress to move it into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, highlighting increased congressional support for the project.
The U.S. Air Force's F-47 program, which Boeing also won in 2025, received $3.4 billion in funding for fiscal year 2026, significantly more than the F/A-XX program's $76 million in the same period.
The U.S. Navy's F/A-XX program received $76 million in fiscal year 2026 funding and an additional $897.3 million in congressional appropriations to advance into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase.
Boeing's St. Louis facility, where the F/A-XX will be produced, is also responsible for manufacturing the F-15EX, F-47, and T-7A Red Hawk, raising concerns about workforce and production capacity challenges.
The F/A-XX program has been under development since at least 2008, with a formal request for information issued in April 2012, indicating a long-term strategic planning process for replacing the F/A-18 Super Hornets.
The U.S. Navy's F/A-XX program had faced delays and funding disputes for years, with some Pentagon officials seeking to delay it by up to three years due to concerns over engineering and supply-chain capacity before Congress intervened with additional funding.
The U.S. Navy selected Boeing for the F/A-XX program, with Boeing beating out Northrop Grumman as its biggest competitor in late-stage negotiations.
The F/A-XX program is part of the Navy's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems, which includes uncrewed combat aircraft and other advanced platforms, indicating a broader shift toward networked, multi-domain operations.

forum Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to comment.