Key Points and Summary: The US Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier-borne fighter program is facing a potential three-year delay due to a Pentagon push, reportedly backed by the Trump administration, to prioritize funding for the Air Force’s F-47 NGAD.
-This proposal, which includes shifting hundreds of millions from the F/A-XX FY2025 budget, aims to reduce industrial base strain by not pursuing two major sixth-generation fighter programs simultaneously.
-However, the delay is meeting strong resistance from Navy leadership and key members of Congress, who argue the F/A-XX is a critical requirement for countering China’s expanding stealth fleet in the Indo-Pacific.
F/A-XX Fighter In Trouble?
It is not good news for the United States Navy. There might be a significant three-year delay in the production of a proposed next-generation naval fighter, F/A-XX, a prized item on its wish list. The maritime branch wants a new jet like the US Air Force’s F-47 NGAD. After all, it’s only fair that the Navy gets an upgrade, too.
F/A-XX – Time to Upgrade the Super Hornet
The Navy would like to develop the new F/A-XX carrier-borne fighter to enable aviators to fly 6th-generation airplanes. Navy pilots have operated the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet for too long, and they need a stealth jet that can attack the enemy from aircraft carriers with high levels of radar evasion.
Turbulence for F/A-XX
However, the Trump administration is throwing cold water on the Navy’s plans and wants to focus more effort and money on the F-47. This prioritization would also prevent the F-47 program from being delayed. Some Members of Congress would like the F/A-XX to move forward so the Navy can choose a defense contractor and begin work on the new warbird. But the White House and the Department of Defense are putting up the stop sign. There could be a multiyear delay on the F/A-XX program.
Would It Take Until 2035 or Later for the 6th Generation Warbird?
This is problematic because even if the F/A-XX had a defense contractor and design in place, the 6th generation jet would not fly until the 2030s. Three more years is unacceptable to proponents of the F/A-XX. That means the Super Hornet would have to be updated again, and the Navy would still not have a stealth fighter besides the F-35C.
This has repercussions for a potential conflict over the Taiwan Strait or South China Sea. China has two stealth jets, and the Navy has just one. It doesn’t make sense, and it doesn’t do justice to naval aviators to be at this kind of disadvantage.
Boost to Economic Development
This contract would be huge for the winning vendor—we are talking potentially hundreds of billions of dollars. It could create numerous highly skilled and well-paid jobs and increase the level of economic development wherever it is assembled. Additionally, innumerable subcontractors would supply parts and components, providing valuable advanced manufacturing positions to many Americans.
An unnamed defense source interviewed by the War Zone is not confident things are progressing well for the F/A-XX.
“A decision hasn’t been made yet. That decision is still being determined by [the Pentagon] and service leaders, with conversations among Congress as well. It’s a big program. These things don’t get settled on by one individual. Leaders are deciding on whether to invest. It’s all part of the process.”
Time is ticking on this process, and the Navy is paying the price for indecision. Yes, the F/A-XX will be expensive, with much of its mission parameters yet to be devised. But everyone, the Navy, the White House, the Department of Defense, and Members of Congress, must be rowing the boat in the same direction for the 6th generation fighter. There is not the required level of unity at this time.
F/A-XX Brings Much to the Fight
The F/A-XX has a considerable upside. In addition to ultra-stealth, it will have the range, speed, and maneuverability to achieve air dominance on Day One of a war. When flying in tandem with the F-35C, the Navy would have a considerable one-two punch to navigate Chinese air defenses in an initial attack. The F/A-XX and F-35C could also control combat drones, known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), for increased lethality. “Drone quarterbacking” is the wave of the future, and the Navy is entirely on board with the CCA.
There will typically be two US aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific at all times; with the F/A-XX, the Navy would have a legitimate force multiplier that would make aviators smile in the cockpit.
Some admirals are banging the drum for the F/A-XX. Vice Admiral Daniel Cheever, the commander of naval air forces, in March, alluded to a new strategy report that described future warfare with the new airplane.
“The Navy remains committed to the F/A-XX program, recognizing its importance in future force structure and design,” the document stated. “Efforts are underway to balance near-term investments with the development of this next-generation platform.”
However, Reuters has stated that there are “concerns about engineering and production capacity.” For the F/A-XX. It seems that these issues should not be a show-stopper. This will indeed be a complex airplane, but the US military-industrial base boasts highly skilled engineers and designers. They would love to have the opportunity to design a new carrier-based jet.
Boeing and Northrop Grumman are the favorites to get the bid, and the winner was supposed to be announced in March. However, that day now appears to be pushed back indefinitely.
“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s cost assessment office plans to slash funding for the next-generation jet’s development by shifting the $454 million that Congress provided for the F/A-XX in the fiscal year 2025 budget to other programs,” according to Reuters.
We’ll keep an eye on the future of the F/A-XX. This airplane is needed, and waiting another three years is unacceptable. If the Air Force can afford the F-47, then the Navy should be allocated the dollars for their 6th generation flight, too. The future battle is likely to be in the Indo-Pacific, and the more stealth fighters on aircraft carriers, the better. F/A-XX could tip the balance in the Navy’s favor while China continues to develop its 6th-generation fighter program. Time is wasted, and it will be difficult for the Americans to keep up at this rate.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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