Boeing wins development contract for F-18 successor
US Navy selects Boeing for development phase of new F/A-XX fighter.
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Boeing has been awarded the contract by the US Navy to develop the F/A-XX, the future successor to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. According to the Pentagon, the contract is worth more than $20 billion, but for now mainly covers development and test aircraft, not series production.
The US Navy has selected Boeing, rather than Northrop Grumman, to develop the F/A-XX. The Pentagon says the contract covers the full development phase and funds multiple aircraft for ground testing, airworthiness testing, system integration and weapons testing.
The F/A-XX is to take over the role of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from the 2030s onwards. The Navy wants to increase the striking power and range of its carrier air wings with it. Little has been made public about the final design and precise performance.
The new fighter is to operate alongside the F-35C. Uncrewed aircraft are also part of the US Navy’s future concept. Exactly how the crewed F/A-XX and such drones will be combined is still under development.
The decision is a major industrial victory for Boeing. The company is also developing the F-47, the future fighter of the US Air Force. Boeing therefore controls the two US programmes for next-generation crewed combat aircraft. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman remain involved in other defence programmes, however.
Years of uncertainty preceded the decision. Within the US Department of Defence, there were concerns about whether industry could develop two highly complex fighter aircraft simultaneously. Meanwhile, the US Congress kept the Navy programme alive with funding; for the 2026 financial year, $1.7 billion for F/A-XX had been approved, according to USNI News.
The contract value does not yet indicate what the eventual acquisition of a full fleet will cost. Boeing and the Navy must first make design choices, complete test programmes and manage technical risks. It is also not yet known exactly when the first operational aircraft will be delivered.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Boeing has been selected for the development phase of the US F/A-XX fighter.
- The contract is worth more than $20 billion and includes test aircraft.
- The F/A-XX is to succeed the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the 2030s.
- Boeing is also developing the future F-47 for the US Air Force.
Left
Arguments The decision should be viewed critically because of the scale of the defence contract and the concentration of future US fighter-aircraft programmes in a single company. Supporters of this approach would first demand greater transparency, cost control and parliamentary oversight.
Values Public funds, democratic oversight, occupational safety and restraint in the use of military power.
Consequences A large programme could displace other public investment and increase technical or financial problems if one supplier becomes too dominant.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach means assessing the development phase step by step. The Navy may need a modern aircraft, but it must continue to assess performance, costs, delivery risks and industrial capacity during the test programme.
Values Continuity of the armed forces, accountability, feasibility and a balance between security and affordability.
Consequences A phased approach can limit risks, but may also cause delays if requirements or funding change again.
Right
Arguments A strong navy requires a future-proof fighter with sufficient range and a technological edge. From this perspective, rapid development is justified, especially if the United States wants to maintain its military position against potential adversaries.
Values National security, deterrence, military power and technological independence.
Consequences According to this view, delay could reduce the operational scope of aircraft carriers; investment, on the other hand, entails high costs and implementation risks.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s core is confirmed by the Pentagon and several independent defence sources. The original wording already suggested series production; this has been changed to development and test aircraft.
- confirmed Boeing was selected over Northrop Grumman for the F/A-XX programme. — Confirmed by USNI News, Axios and Breaking Defense. source
- confirmed The contract’s full development phase is worth more than $20 billion. — This is stated in the Pentagon announcement and cited by USNI News. source
- confirmed The contract includes multiple test aircraft for ground, airworthiness, system-integration and weapons testing. — Mentioned in the official contract description. source
- confirmed The F/A-XX is to succeed the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the 2030s. — Confirmed by USNI News and Breaking Defense. source
- confirmed The F/A-XX is to operate alongside the F-35C and uncrewed systems. — The future combination with the F-35C and uncrewed aircraft is described by defence sources. source
- confirmed $1.7 billion for F/A-XX had been approved for the 2026 financial year. — USNI News refers to Pentagon budget documents for this. source
- confirmed Boeing is also developing the future US Air Force fighter, the F-47. — Confirmed by Axios and Breaking Defense. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Boeing allowed to produce F-18 successor for US NavyNow: Boeing wins development contract for F-18 successor (The awarded contract covers the full development phase and multiple test aircraft; series production has not yet been awarded.)
Editor's note
It is certain that Boeing was selected over Northrop Grumman and that the development phase is worth more than $20 billion. The final design, total fleet costs and operational date remain uncertain; series production has not yet been awarded.Sources
- Department of War and U.S. Navy Award Contract for F/A-XX Program — U.S. Department of War
- Boeing Picked to Build Navy’s F/A-XX Carrier Fighter in Estimated $20B Deal — USNI News
- Boeing nabs $20B contract for Navy's futuristic fighter — Axios
- Boeing wins Navy next-gen fighter F/A-XX competition — Breaking Defense
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „boeing f/a-xx”
- de Volkskrant — „boeing f/a-xx”
- RTL Nieuws — „boeing f/a-xx”