After months of setbacks, the Pentagon is preparing to name the defense contractor that will design and build the Navy’s next-generation stealth fighter jet, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a U.S. official and others familiar with the process. The selection, expected as early as this week, represents a multibillion-dollar program considered central to maintaining U.S. air power in the face of China’s rapid military advances.
Boeing (NYSE:BA) and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) are competing for the contract to produce the carrier-based aircraft, known as the F/A-XX, which will eventually replace the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, mainstays of the fleet since the 1990s. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized moving forward with a contractor decision last Friday, one source said. While the Navy could announce the winner within days, past delays in the program suggest late hurdles remain possible.
The program’s importance extends beyond the new jet itself, highlighting broader debates about the future of naval aviation and whether U.S. aircraft carriers can remain dominant in a contested Pacific. A prolonged delay or funding shortfall could leave the Navy without a state-of-the-art carrier fighter in the 2030s, potentially eroding U.S. power projection.
The F/A-XX is expected to bring advanced stealth features, greater range, longer endurance, and seamless integration with uncrewed combat aircraft and carrier air defense systems. China has been incredibly ambitious in prototyping sixth-generation aircraft and fielding fifth-generation fighters and bombers, so this award could be viewed as an important decision to keep pace, Roman Schweizer, an analyst at TD Cowen, said in a note to clients.
Funding disputes earlier this year slowed progress. The Pentagon requested $74 million to keep development alive at a minimal level, while some officials argued for delaying the program by up to three years due to engineering and supply chain concerns. Congress and the Navy pushed back, ultimately adding $750 million to accelerate the jet in this summer’s tax and spending package, along with $1.4 billion earmarked for fiscal 2026.
Uncertainty also surrounded whether Boeing (NYSE:BA) and Northrop (NYSE:NOC) could deliver on schedule. Boeing’s (BA) resources are stretched by its recent Air Force F-47 contract, while Northrop (NOC) is contending with escalating costs on the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
Details on the number of jets to be built, their value, and production timelines remain classified. However, given that comparable programs such as the F-35 have run into the tens of billions, expectations are for a similarly significant investment. The Navy still plans to acquire more than 270 F-35C fighters from Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), though the company was eliminated from the F/A-XX competition earlier this year.
The first F/A-XX aircraft are slated to join the fleet in the 2030s, with the Super Hornets expected to remain operational into the 2040s.