As part of an interview given to the specialized outlet The War Zone during the Tailhook symposium, Admiral Daniel Cheever of the U.S. Navy stated that the service is eagerly awaiting the official decision to move forward with the selection of its new sixth-generation fighter, the F/A-XX, a cornerstone of the future air combat strategies being prepared by the force. In this program, only Boeing and Northrop Grumman remain in competition, both of which have recently chosen to present the first images of their conceptual designs.
Quoting some of Admiral Cheever’s remarks: “(Editor’s note: The F/A-XX program is) ready for down-select, to which of the vendors you would go with, and we’re just excited. The Navy haven’t made a decision yet. So that’s what the down-select is. We’re waiting for the decision, and I’m not the decision maker. I’m just eagerly awaiting”
With these statements, the service appears to have moved beyond what in June seemed like a possible freezing of the program by the Pentagon, at a time when it was claimed that the defense department preferred to devote its resources to the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 program. Faced with that possibility, various actors from both the force and the industry spoke out in defense of the U.S. Navy having its own sixth-generation carrier-based fighter, a view also shared by Congress, which has already approved a 2026 budget that allocates funds for the development to continue as planned.
An illustrative example of this position came from Admiral Daryl Caudle, current Chief of Naval Operations of the U.S. Navy, who stated: “Nothing in the Joint Force projects combat power from the sea as a Carrier Strike Group, which at the heart has a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN). To maintain this striking power, the CVN must have an air wing that is comprised of the most advanced strike fighters.” He also added: “Therefore, the ability to maintain air superiority against peer competitors will be put at risk if the Navy is unable to field a 6th Generation strike fighter on a relevant timeline.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has also reported progress in the development of its new MQ-25 Stingray refueling drone, envisioned as one of the main enablers for naval aviation in the future, particularly in support of the F/A-XX. This is a highly relevant asset not only because of its ability to carry out refueling missions at low cost and without the need for an additional pilot in the operational area, but also because it would free up F/A-18E/F Super Hornets that are currently tasked with this mission using a special configuration. According to recent reports from the service, between 20 and 30 out of every 100 sorties of the platform are dedicated to these missions.
Finally, regarding the unveiling of conceptual designs for the upcoming F/A-XX, it is worth recalling that Boeing revealed its own during the very Tailhook symposium where Admiral Cheever gave his statements. The company has already been selected by the Air Force for its F-47 and there has been speculation that its F/A-XX design could be a derivative of that aircraft to avoid higher costs and potential technical issues—one of the main concerns raised by analysts about the program. For its part, Northrop Grumman presented its concept last August, featuring a design focused on stealth and apparently lacking any kind of tailplane.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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