Boeing lands $20bn US Navy deal for sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter

The Pentagon has selected Boeing to build the US Navy’s next-generation stealth fighter, the F/A-XX, announcing on Tuesday a full-scale development contract worth more than $20 billion.

Reuters reported that Boeing beat rival Northrop Grumman to the contract, which covers multiple test aircraft for ground testing, airworthiness evaluation and systems and weapons integration. The programme could grow to hundreds of billions of dollars over its lifetime. Lockheed Martin pulled out of the competition last year.

The F/A-XX will begin replacing the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers in the 2030s and will operate alongside Lockheed Martin’s F-35C jets. Aviation Week reported that its primary task will be long-range strike in heavily defended airspace.

The award is Boeing’s second consecutive major fighter win after its selection in March 2025 for the Air Force’s F-47 stealth fighter, making the company the only provider of sixth-generation aircraft, according to Morningstar.

“Delivering two advanced fighters in parallel was always our plan, and we invested accordingly,” said Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, in a statement.

“The F/A-XX is a critical pillar in our commitment to maintaining peace through strength,” said Michael Duffey, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment.

Boeing shares rose 2.25 per cent in extended trading on Tuesday, while Northrop Grumman fell 3.5 per cent, Reuters reported. The award ends months of delay over a programme Reuters described as central to US strategy for countering China in the Pacific.