Boeing wins $20 billion U.S. Navy contract to build F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier fighter

Boeing selected for F/A-XX full-scale development

Boeing has been awarded a U.S. Navy contract valued at more than $20 billion for the full-scale development phase of the F/A-XX, the Navy's sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter. The award was announced on September 29, 2026, by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy and covers multiple test aircraft intended for ground, airworthiness, systems, and weapons integration testing as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance program.

The contract positions Boeing to manufacture the aircraft that the Navy says will begin replacing its F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers in the 2030s. Northrop Grumman was the only remaining competitor after Lockheed Martin dropped out of the competition in March 2025.

Pentagon frames F/A-XX as a generational leap

Defense officials described the aircraft in foundational terms. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao called the contract a "new era" for the service, saying the carrier-based sixth-generation fighter would be "a generational leap in air superiority" and interoperable with unmanned platforms such as Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Pentagon acquisition chief Michael Duffey said F/A-XX would "dominate contested airspace, extend operational reach, and deliver a decisive combat advantage for the warfighter," calling it a "crucial, non-negotiable investment" in long-term U.S. air-combat capability.

The platform is being designed with an upgraded open mission systems architecture, enhanced range and payload, and the ability to operate alongside more than 270 planned F-35Cs as Super Hornets remain in service into the 2040s.

Boeing's second sixth-generation win in two years

The F/A-XX award is Boeing's second major sixth-generation fighter selection within roughly a year, following its 2025 win over Lockheed Martin for the Air Force's F-47 program, a development contract also worth more than $20 billion. Taken together, the two awards place Boeing at the center of both the Air Force's and the Navy's sixth-generation fighter efforts.

Boeing Defense, Space & Security president and CEO Steve Parker said the award was underpinned by investments "in new facilities uniquely suited to build multiple products with next generation capabilities," pointing to a secure manufacturing site being built in St. Louis as part of what Boeing calls an "all-digital aerospace design and manufacturing system."

Funding path and program history

F/A-XX funding had fluctuated as the Navy weighed whether to develop a separate airframe or leverage the F-47 program. The Pentagon at one point considered pushing the program back by as much as three years before Congress intervened, providing $750 million in 2025 legislation and an additional $1.4 billion for fiscal 2026.

Boeing shares rose in after-hours trading following the announcement, advancing 2.20% to $191.81, while Northrop Grumman shares fell 2.65% to $491.23. Separately, Reuters reported that the F/A-XX program could ultimately be worth hundreds of billions of dollars as production expands and potential foreign orders emerge.