The U.S. Navy picked Boeing on Sept. 29, 2026 to develop the carrier-capable F/A-XX as its next-generation navy fighter, a decision the Pentagon and multiple outlets reported this week.
The Pentagon’s selection of Boeing for the F/A-XX was reported by outlets including Military Times and Axios, which said the award follows years of competition to replace carrier air-wing aircraft.
Defense outlets reported the contract value at more than $20 billion for full-scale development, and described F/A-XX as a sixth-generation, carrier-capable strike fighter intended to replace or supplement F/A-18 Super Hornets in the carrier air wing.
At the same time, the Navy continues to operate the F-35C fleet while funding and sustainment issues remain a focus: a Janes report from April 2026 noted the Pentagon requested about $1.8 billion in F-35 sustainment to improve readiness, underscoring ongoing support needs for the F-35C as the service plans the transition to F/A-XX.
The choice of Boeing caps a long acquisition phase that Congress and Navy leaders have discussed in hearings and budget reports, where lawmakers have asked about timelines, costs and how a new navy fighter would fit into carrier operations.
Analysts and budget documents have highlighted that the F-35 enterprise remains central to current carrier aviation capability while the Navy develops the F/A-XX. A Congressional Budget Office summary and defense reporting have noted the F-35 sustainment enterprise supports more than 1,300 aircraft across services, and sustainment funding has been a recurring line in Pentagon budget requests.
What this means for the fleet: Navy planners are balancing continued F-35C operations and sustainment spending with the long-term goal of introducing F/A-XX into carrier air wings. That transition will be multi-year and will depend on development, testing and production schedules the Pentagon and Boeing must meet.
Sources
- Military Times — reported the Navy selected Boeing for the F/A-XX program and described the aircraft as the next-generation carrier fighter.
- Axios — reported on the Pentagon announcement and the selection process for Boeing.
- Janes — provided the April 2026 report noting a roughly $1.8 billion Pentagon sustainment request for F-35 readiness improvements.
- Congressional Budget Office — provided context on the F-35 sustainment enterprise supporting more than 1,300 aircraft (CBO summary referenced in search results).
