Boeing vs. Northrop Grumman: US Navy to Pick F/A-XX Sixth-Gen Fighter Builder in August 2026
The U.S. Navy will select the prime contractor for its sixth-generation carrier-based fighter, designated F/A-XX, in August 2026, according to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Caudle. The two-horse race between Boeing and Northrop Grumman will determine which company builds the Navy’s primary strike aircraft for the mid-21st century. Lockheed Martin has already been eliminated from competition.
About the F/A-XX
Designed to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler while complementing the F-35C, the F/A-XX is envisioned as a twin-engine, tailless stealth platform with options for manned or optionally unmanned operation. First flight testing is projected toward the end of the decade, with initial operational capability expected in the mid-2030s.
The Contractor Dilemma
CNO Caudle hinted that one of the two finalists is “in a place where they really can’t deliver in the timeframe we need it” — widely interpreted as a reference to industrial capacity constraints. Northrop Grumman is currently managing the B-21 Raider program; Boeing has faced delivery delays and cost overruns across multiple programs. The Navy is navigating a defense industrial base that has been stretched by simultaneous high-priority programs.
Congress allocated approximately $972 million in FY2026 for F/A-XX research and development funding. The Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract — the formal starting gun for the aircraft’s production development — is what will be awarded in August.
Sources: DefenseScoop; Breaking Defense; Aviation Week; The War Zone; ClearanceJobs.
