The U.S. Navy will downselect the prime contractor for its sixth-generation F/A-XX carrier-based fighter in August 2026, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle announced. Boeing and Northrop Grumman remain the sole competitors after a yearlong delay triggered by Pentagon budget cuts.
Caudle’s statement at the Sea-Air-Space 2026 conference in National Harbor, Maryland, confirms the program advances to engineering and manufacturing development. This timeline follows congressional intervention, which restored $1.69 billion via spending bills including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act after the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2026 request limited funding to $74 million.
The F/A-XX will replace aging F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18 Growlers, addressing evolving adversary threats in carrier operations. Navy officials note one bidder struggles with the aggressive schedule, though both companies assert capability to deliver.
Recent reports indicated a revised request for proposals as early as April 17, paving the way for the decision. The program lags the Air Force’s F-47 in funding, with Navy seeking just $140 million more in the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget amid a $1.5 trillion defense total.
This downselect locks in a high-stakes modernization path, bolstering naval air power amid budget constraints and industrial pressures.