Reuters quoted U.S. officials and informed persons on Monday as saying that the U.S. Navy’s next-generation invisible fighter project, which has been delayed for months, is about to reach a key node – the Pentagon is fastest this week to determine the contractor, responsible for the development and construction of the new F/A-XX vessel carrier, which costs billions of dollars and is seen as a core project in U.S. military competition with China.
Boeing and Northrop Grumman are currently bidding for the production of the fighter aircraft, which will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Big Bear fleet, which has been in service in the United States Navy since the 1990s.
A U.S. official and a person familiar with the matter said that U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth had decided on October 3rd to advance the contract selection.
Another person familiar with the matter said that the U.S. Navy may announce the winner of the bid for the fighter jet construction project as soon as this week, but sources also pointed out that in the past, there have been last-minute accidents that have delayed the project, and this time there are still similar risks. As of now, the U.S. Navy and the Pentagon have not responded to requests for comment.
Reported that the delay in the F/A-XX project highlights widespread questions about the future development of the U.S. Navy's air force and the role of aircraft carriers in confronting China. If the project continues to be delayed or underfunded, by the 2030s and beyond, the U.S. Navy may fall into the dilemma of having no modern carrier-based aircraft available, which may weaken the U.S. Navy's power projection capabilities.
According to reports, the F/A-XX fighter jet is expected to have advanced stealth capabilities, longer range and longer battery life, and can achieve integrated coordination with unmanned combat aircraft and the U.S. Navy's shipborne air defense system.
Roman Schweizer, an analyst at TD Cowen, said that China has shown amazing ambitions in the research and development of sixth-generation fighter prototypes and the installation of fifth-generation fighters and bombers, so the award of this contract can be regarded as an important decision made by the United States to keep pace with China.
In the spring and summer of this year, a funding dispute between the Pentagon and the U.S. Congress hindered the progress of the project. The Pentagon had requested $74 million for the fighter jet project to maintain its "minimum R & D funding."
Reuters reported in May this year that some Pentagon officials had sought to delay the project for up to three years, citing concerns about engineering technology and supply chain capabilities.
The U.S. Congress and the U.S. Navy, hoping to advance the contract granting work, have allocated $7.5 billion to accelerate the F/A-XX fighter aircraft project in a massive tax and spending reduction bill that came into effect this summer.
In addition to funding disputes, the two bidders 'ability to perform has also become the focus of discussion.
During the months of delay in the project, all parties also discussed whether Northrop Grumman and Boeing, two defense contractors, could complete the fighter construction on schedule. According to sources, after Boeing won the US Air Force F-47 fighter construction contract in March this year, defense officials discussed whether Boeing had enough engineers to invest in the F/A-XX project, and officials also discussed whether Northrop Grumman would be under pressure due to the rising cost of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile project.
The number of F/A-XX aircraft purchases, total project value and specific timetables are currently secret, but the U.S. Navy plans to purchase more than 270 F-35C aircraft from Lockheed Martin for its aircraft carrier fleet in terms of U.S. equipment planning.
According to the current plan, the first batch of mass-produced F/A-XX models are expected to be put into service in the 2030s, while the F/A-18 series fighters are expected to be in service until the 2040s.