Boeing has been awarded a contract to develop the next-generation F/A-XX fighter jet for the United States Navy (USN). The F/A-XX program was initiated to replace the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet—which has been in service since 2001 and was based on the F/A-18 Hornet launched in 1974.
With this selection, Boeing is responsible for building the new-generation fighter for the USN as well as the F-47 fighter for the United States Air Force (USAF). The announcement of the contract winner had been delayed, with speculation arising that the program might be cancelled due to financial constraints. Boeing successfully beat out Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, both of which had also presented their concept designs to the USN.
The USN's requirements differ from those of the USAF because the F/A-XX must be capable of landing on aircraft carrier decks. This necessitates more robust landing gear and a tailhook system to support CATOBAR operations.
The USAF and USN are no longer collaborating on a shared aircraft—as they did with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program that produced the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II—due to various issues that emerged after the latter entered service in 2015.
Nevertheless, the requirements for the F/A-XX mirror those of the F-47; it must possess stealth capabilities, extended range, and the ability to operate alongside autonomous drones while serving as a battlefield control node.
