Boeing wins U.S. Navy F/A-XX fighter contract worth over $20B

Boeing won the U.S. Navy's competition to build the F/A-XX, a sixth-generation carrier-based fighter, the service announced on Sept. 29, 2026. The award falls under the Navy's Next Generation Air Dominance program.

The contract for the full-scale development phase is valued at more than $20 billion. It covers several test aircraft for ground testing, airworthiness work, systems checks and weapons integration.

Boeing will develop and produce the crewed NGAD fighters for both the Navy and the Air Force.

The decision followed a lengthy wait. From March 2025 onward, reports of an imminent announcement circulated repeatedly while the program appeared stalled. The most recent indicated the Navy would disclose its choice by the end of August 2026.

Earlier in 2026, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the Navy needed to speed up work on the F/A-XX to keep pace with future air defense threats over the coming decade. The service's ability to operate freely with its current aircraft was running short, he said, and construction had to begin soon or the capability would arrive too late.

The Department of War said in its statement that the contract award covers the development phase. Michael P. Duffey, the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, described the platform as a key part of maintaining peace through strength. It would operate in contested airspace, extend reach and give warfighters a combat edge, he said. He called the investment crucial and non-negotiable.