Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing are competing for a contract to produce the secretive sixth-generation F/A-XX deck fighter, which will replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet

The US Navy wants a sixth-generation fighter jet in the next decade. But so far the programme has been kept secret. However, it has recently become known that three big companies are competing for the contract.

Here's What We Know

The US Navy is keeping the project secret. So far, the sixth-generation fighter is listed as the F/A-XX. It will be the replacement for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet deck plane (pictured below). Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Boeing are competing for the contract. This was officially announced by the US Navy.

Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer of the fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft for the US Air Force and the F-35 for the US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps. The company also builds the modernised fourth-generation F-16V Block 70/72 aircraft.

Boeing is the manufacturer of the current F/A-18E/F Super Hornet deck-mounted fighter. If the company wins the contract, work on the sixth-generation aircraft programme will take place at the St Louis plant.

Northrop Grumman isn't bored either. For several years, the company has been working on the next-generation B-21 Raider nuclear bomber. The aircraft was unveiled late last year, and by the end of this year the U.S. Air Force could sign the first contract. The bomber has never been flown yet.

The three companies were expected to be the ones competing for the NGAD project, which is developing a sixth-generation fighter for the US Air Force to replace the F-22 Raptor. However, Northrop Grumman has officially announced that it is not bidding for the role of prime contractor.

Separately, two big companies will compete to develop the powerplant for the F/A-XX. They are Pratt & Whitney and GE Aerospace.

Source: Breaking Defence