Image source: topwar.ru
The concept of the F/A-XX carrier-based fighter from Boeing
One of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers, the American company Lockheed Martin, dropped out of the program to create sixth-generation fighter jets for the US Navy, known as Next Generation Air Dominance or F/A-XX. This became known to the online military-themed publication Breaking Defense.
Sources familiar with the program told the publication that now there are two participants left in the competition to develop a prototype of the newest fighter and their further production. These are Lockheed Martin's competitors, Northrop Grumman Corporation and the Boeing Company. Earlier, back in November last year, the Navy informed Breaking Defense that the service was reviewing applications, but it was unclear exactly when Lockheed dropped out of the competition, as well as the reasons for such a decision.
As a result, a race has developed between Northrop Grumman and Boeing for the right to replace the "venerable" F/A-18 and E/A-18 with a new sixth-generation fighter. Moreover, for Northrop, this is the first contract for the production of fighter jets since the F-14 Tomcat.
However, for Boeing, winning the tender is of considerable importance. Recently, this American aircraft manufacturer has been experiencing serious problems with the quality of its civilian and military products. This leads to significant financial losses and reputational losses.
What's at stake for Boeing right now is the future of its fighter production division. The company has already invested billions of dollars in building a factory in St. Louis in order to receive an order for the production of sixth-generation fighter jets for the US Armed Forces.
Lockheed, which has monopolized the fifth-generation fighter market with its ubiquitous F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor, may still create a sixth-generation aircraft in a separate Air Force fighter competition, also known as Next Generation Air Dominance. However, she will also have to compete with Boeing for this order, which will certainly make every effort to win this competition.
The F/A-XX program is the largest competition for the creation of aircraft for the US Navy in the last two decades, but the service keeps it in the strictest secrecy. Little is known about the capabilities and requirements of the aircraft, except that it will be created in addition to the F-35, and will have a different airframe and engine design from the sixth-generation fighter of the Air Force.
The F/A-XX program is designed to allow carrier strike groups to outpace opponents while maintaining naval aviation superiority and involves cooperation with the Air Force and the Marine Corps in the areas of autonomy, control systems, communications architectures and autonomous combat drones, said John Phelan, whom the Trump administration selected. for the position of the next Secretary of the United States Navy.
Representatives of the Navy have publicly announced their intention to conclude a contract for the supply of the F/A-XX this year, unlike the Air Force, which suspended its NGAD program last year to evaluate it. The US Air Force conducted an internal analysis that supported the development and deployment of a sixth-generation manned fighter jet, but officials postponed making a decision on continuing the program until the arrival of the Trump administration. Now the final decision on this issue will be made by the new head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, or President Donald Trump, Breaking Defense concludes.
Image Source: topwar.ru
Lockheed Martin's F-X variant
