Boeing Locks In Sixth-Generation Fighter Monopoly With $20B Navy F/A-XX Win

Boeing has won the U.S. Navy’s $20B-plus Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract for the F/A-XX next-generation carrier fighter, beating Northrop Grumman. The award gives Boeing an unusually dominant position: it is now the only company with a crewed sixth-generation fighter program for the U.S. Navy and also one for the U.S. Air Force, following its March 2025 selection for the F-47. The Navy says the F/A-XX is part of the NGAD Family of Systems, expected to start replacing the Super Hornet and Growler fleets in the 2030s. Initial targets include about 25% greater range and advanced jamming, plus the ability to direct multiple CCA drones. Details remain classified.