The US Navy has selected Boeing to produce the F/A-XX, its first sixth-generation fighter, under a multi-billion-dollar contract, according to Boeing.
Replacing the Super Hornet
The F/A-XX will replace the Navy’s fleet of F/A-18 Super Hornets. The service says the aircraft will advance open mission systems architecture, mission systems, and operational reach and capacity. Technical and programmatic details remain classified under US national security and export laws.
“It’s an honor to be selected to produce the Navy’s first sixth-generation platform,” said Steve Parker, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. He said decades of work and investment in new facilities have prepared the team to execute the programme.
A second sixth-generation win
The award is Boeing’s second sixth-generation fighter selection. The US Air Force chose the company for its F-47 programme in 2025. Parker said Boeing always planned to deliver both fighters in parallel and invested accordingly.
“We are ready and able to build multiple concurrent future combat aircraft franchise programs,” he said.
Investment in facilities and people
Boeing is still building a secure manufacturing facility in St. Louis, the largest in the US. The site will form part of an all-digital aerospace design and manufacturing system. Parker said facilities are only part of the investment, and the company is also putting money into technology and people.
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