F/A-XX: The Navy's 6th Generation Fighter 1 Giant Question Mark

What You Need to Know: While the U.S. Air Force has paused its sixth-generation fighter program (Next Generation Air Dominance, NGAD) for a cost-effective reevaluation, the U.S. Navy continues to advance its own sixth-generation fighter, the F/A-XX, expected to enter service in the 2030s.

-The F/A-XX will replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet and E/A-18 Growler and offer superior range, sensors, and electronic warfare capabilities.

-Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman have submitted proposals.

-Despite budget challenges, the Navy intends to share technology with NGAD, such as the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) engine.

U.S. Navy’s Sixth-Gen F/A-XX Fighter Moves Ahead as Air Force Pauses NGAD Program

While the U.S. Air Force has decided to pause its sixth-generation fighter development program, known as the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), the U.S. Navy will proceed with its program to develop a sixth-generation, carrier-based fighter. The Navy’s new fighter is projected to enter service sometime in the 2030s.

“We expect that sixth-generation platform to be able to have advanced sensors, advanced lethality, advanced range, and being able to integrate with manned and unmanned capabilities together,” said Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti. “That’s one of the things, as we learn from the Air Force and the work they’re doing, to integrate that with what we know that we need to be able to do.”

Considering the Options on F/A-XX

The Navy has already solicited proposals for its sixth-generation fighter; Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman have all provided proposals according to Franchetti, who said that the Navy is already in the source selection process. The Navy’s new fighter program is known as the F/A-XX.

Whereas the F/A-XX is in source selection, the Air Force’s counterpart, NGAD, has been paused while the service conducts a rapid reevaluation.

“Air Force leaders have indicated they would prefer a less-costly option,” Air and Space Forces reported. “But making NGAD less expensive would likely mean sacrificing range and payload, which could mean opting for a single engine rather than two.” 

Having just one engine would reduce the NGAD’s range, which would require the Air Force to also proceed with the development of a stealth tanker, the Next Generation Air-refueling System (NGAS). So, the Air Force’s ongoing NGAD analysis relates not only to the NGAD but to the NGAS.

Replacing the F/A-18 Fighter Plane

The F/A-XX program will serve as a replacement for the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the E/A-18 Growler. The F/A-XX is billed as an advancement, featuring improved range and improved electronic warfare capabilities, over the Navy’s new F-35C fifth-generation fighters, which will remain in service for the foreseeable future.

When Franchetti was asked whether the NGAD pause was concerning the F/A-XX program she, “indicated it is important for the individual services to align their future aircraft plans in some ways,  but not so much that the Air Force’s decision, whatever it may be, would be a show-stopped for F/A-XX.”

Still, the Navy has had its budget problems; earlier this year, one billion dollars was delayed from the F/A-XX program to focus instead on near-term readiness. Congress could yet cut the F/A-XX program further.

To save costs, the NGAD and the F/A-XX will likely share certain technologies, perhaps the same engine. “According to the most recent plans, NGAD’s engine was to come from the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. NGAP was to be a more compact application of technologies developed for the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), which was nixed as an option for the F-35 Lighting II a year ago,” Air and Space Forces reported.

We should know more about the NGAD revision and the F/A-XX contract winner, in the next few months.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.