According to information obtained by Breaking Defense, Lockheed Martin has been eliminated from the US Navy’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) or F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter jet programme competition. A source familiar with the programme stated that Lockheed’s proposal failed to meet the Navy’s service criteria, and the company will not proceed with its bid.
The Race Narrows to Northrop Grumman and Boeing
With Lockheed out of the competition, the race is now between Northrop Grumman and Boeing. The new air superiority fighter will replace the ageing F/A-18 and E/A-18 aircraft. Northrop Grumman is competing for its first fighter jet contract since the F-14 Tomcat, while Boeing aims to secure the sixth-generation fighter contract following significant investments in its St. Louis facility.
Lockheed’s Future in the Sixth-Generation Race
Despite this setback, Lockheed Martin remains a major player in the sector, with the fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor in its portfolio. The company still has a chance to produce a sixth-generation jet through the US Air Force’s NGAD programme, where it is competing against Boeing.
The Mysterious Features of the F/A-XX Programme
Although the F/A-XX programme is one of the Navy’s most high-profile aircraft competitions in the past two decades, many details remain classified. The aircraft is expected to complement the F-35 and will feature a different fuselage and engine system than the Air Force’s sixth-generation jet.
2025 Budget Plans and Next Steps
John Phelan, Trump’s nominee for Navy Secretary, described the F/A-XX as “a next-generation aircraft offering significant advances in operational access and capability in contested environments.” However, the $1 billion research and development fund proposed for the programme in the fiscal year 2025 budget request has been redirected to other readiness priorities. Navy officials are aiming to award the F/A-XX contract later this year.
© AeroHaber.com / Mevlüt Zor
Aviation News and Defense Industry news published on our website cannot be used without proper attribution.
