The US will soon announce the company that will build the next generation of deck fighter
This week, the US Navy is expected to announce who will build the next generation of deck-based fighter aircraft.
Here's What We Know
According to Reuters, the US Navy will select one winner at the engineering and production development stage, which is an important step in the development of the F/A-XX advanced fighter. It will replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet combat aircraft. The contract will be worth billions of dollars in the short term and potentially hundreds of billions over decades.
The development of the new deck-based aircraft is one of the US Armed Forces' most advanced programmes for a potential confrontation with China in the Indian Pacific region. The aircraft is expected to have improved stealth technology, increased range and endurance, and will be able to interact with drones and shipboard air defence systems.
A rendering of the aircraft as part of the F/A-XX programme. Illustration: Boeing
Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have submitted their proposals. According to sources, Lockheed Martin was initially considered a strong competitor, but the company was unable to fully meet the requirements of the US Navy. For this reason, it was allegedly excluded from the competition in early March, although there is no official confirmation of this.
It is worth explaining that last week the Pentagon chose Boeing's project in the Next Generation Air Dominance programme to develop a fighter jet for the air force, called the F-47. It beat out Lockheed Martin's design, which had previously won the previous two generations of fighters, the F-22 and F-35. The US Department of Defence will contract for the project's completion, investing more than $20 billion in its development and production.
Source: Reuters
