Pentagon picks Boeing for new US Navy contract for fighter jets

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced it has selected Boeing to construct the US Navy's next-generation fighter jets, in a contract worth $20 billion. This contract pertains to the F/A-XX platform, a sixth-generation aircraft part of the Next Generation Air Dominance Program. The new jets are intended to replace the existing Super Hornets fleet starting in the 2030s.

Boeing's selection marks the second time the company has been chosen by the Pentagon for a sixth-generation weapons system under the Trump administration. In March 2025, the Air Force opted for Boeing to produce a new stealth fighter.

Steve Parker, Boeing's head of Defense, Space & Security, stated that the company is prepared to build multiple concurrent future combat aircraft franchises. The F/A-XX platform is described as a critical, non-negotiable investment in national security and long-term air combat capabilities by Pentagon undersecretary Michael Duffey.

Boeing is currently building at its secure manufacturing facility in St. Louis, which is the largest of its kind in the U.S. The technical and programmatic details of the F/A-XX remain classified due to US national security and export laws. The competition for the contract was with Northrop Grumman, who proposed a digitally advanced sixth-generation fighter.

Admiral Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations, pointed out that the next-generation system must extend reach, survivability, and lethality, expected to work alongside unmanned systems. Failure to field the next-generation carrier aviation capability on schedule could introduce risks to air superiority, strike reach, and the long-term viability of carrier-based operations in contested environments.