Trump administration shelves Navy's F/A-XX, citing industry strain
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The Trump administration is icing the U.S. Navy's F/A-XX futuristic fighter in favor of the Air Force counterpart, the F-47, amid concerns U.S. defense contractors can't handle both.
Why it matters: The highly secretive project has for months been in limbo.
- An F/A-XX contract announcement was supposed to quickly follow F-47 news, according to Reuters, but never materialized.
Driving the news: Officials at the Pentagon told reporters the fiscal 2026 budget blueprint includes $74 million to finish design of the Navy warplane. They also said there is debate at the highest levels about its future.
- "We did make a strategic decision to go all-in on F-47, with a $3.4 billion request for that program, due to our belief that the industrial base can only handle going fast on one program at this time and the presidential priority [is] to go all-in on that F-47 and get that program right," one official said.
Catch up quick: Boeing and Northrop Grumman are in the running for F/A-XX. The former bested Lockheed Martin in March for the multibillion-dollar F-47 contract, via the Next Generation Air Dominance effort.
Friction point: Boeing executives pushed back on the narrative that it — and others — can't juggle.
- "From day one, capital investment was for both programs. We've done the same with our technology. We've done the same with our staffing," Steve Parker, the CEO of Boeing's defense business, told reporters at the Paris Air Show.
- "Absolutely, we can do it. And so can the industrial base. And so can the engine manufacturers. I don't really see that as being an issue."
What we're watching: The Navy could end up with a tailored version of the F-47 instead.
Go deeper: Trump wants two new cutting-edge fighter jets: F-22 Super and F-55
