General F/A-XX thread

[fightercraft4]

So it's either Boeing or Northrop? Personally I'd love to see Northrop do F/A-XX.

[disconnectedradical]

F/A-XX selection can potentially happen this week.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp ... 025-10-07/

WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - After months of delay, the Pentagon will select as soon as this week the defense company to design and build the Navy's next stealth fighter, a U.S. official and two people familiar with the decision said, in what will be a multibillion-dollar effort for a jet seen as central to U.S. efforts to counter China.
Boeing Co (BA.N), opens new tab and Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC.N), opens new tab are competing to be chosen to produce the aircraft, dubbed the F/A-XX. The new carrier-based jet will replace the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet, which has been in service since the 1990s.
…
A funding dispute in the spring and summer between the Pentagon and Congress delayed the program's advancement.
The Pentagon sought $74 million for the jet to keep it on "minimal development funding." Some Pentagon officials had sought to delay the program by up to three years, citing concerns about engineering and supply chain capacity, Reuters reported in May.

Congress and the Navy had wished to move forward with awarding a contract. Congress put $750 million to speed the F/A-XX jet into the massive tax-cut and spending bill which was signed into law this summer. Additionally, Congress earmarked an additional $1.4 billion for F/A-XX in fiscal 2026.

Although as always, there’s a chance it might be delayed, so we’ll see.

IMO, it can go either way between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Overall I think Boeing is a stronger position because it flew one of the DARPA NGAD demonstrators, while Northrop Grumman didn’t. At the same time, DOD may not be comfortable with Boeing having monopoly on 6th gen fighters. And flying a demonstrator isn’t guarantee of winning, like with the case of the T-X program.

[Corsair1963]

Friday and still no word... maybe next week?

A quick poll here on F-16.net forum: F/A-XX winner - Boeing or Northrop Grumann?