Delaying the Navy’s F/A-XX Fighter Would Be a Big Mistake
Unrivaled air superiority is a vital part of American military power. In many cases, it is inseparable from victory in a conflict. Our adversaries know this fact, which is why developing and fielding sixth generation aircraft has become both a symbolic and a tangible measure of modern military power. Earlier this year, President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth announced the award of the F-47 program to Boeing. This next generation fighter will provide exceptional new capabilities for our Air Force pilots. Reports suggest, the Pentagon is considering delaying the Navy’s next gen fighter, known as the F/A-XX, in order to prioritize the F-47 program. This would be a mistake. We need them both. Fortunately, America’s aerospace industrial base is capable of manufacturing two fighter jets at the same time. Doing so is critical to advancing President Trump’s peace-through-strength national security agenda.
According to reports, concerns are emerging that developing two new advanced jets simultaneously would overwhelm the industrial base. In truth, unlike other industrial sectors, America’s aerospace industry is thriving – full off energy, ingenuity, innovation and readiness, the aerospace sector is well-positioned today to deliver the new technology our warfighters need to execute President Trump‘s national security strategy. The Navy’s 6th generation fighter is particularly well aligned with the President’s goals. President Trump has championed rebuilding America’s industrial power and restoring deterrence—especially against China in the Pacific. The F/A-XX is critical to both endeavors.
Although not as publicized as the Air Force’s program, F/A-XX is an equally important platform—especially given that the Navy doesn’t have fifth generation F-22 or many F-35s, and is heavily dependent on aging F/A-18s. Adding the F/A-XX to our carrier air wings will restore air superiority and strike range, thus, ensuring the continued viability and effectiveness of our carrier fleet. The capabilities our aircraft carriers and their air wings provide make our military ready to deter or fight the next skirmish, world war, or anything in between. It also provides the President with more options to handle crises abroad.
It is no surprise that China is developing sixth generation naval jet fighters of its own, like the J-36, which are specifically designed to defeat current American technology. China’s most advanced fighters would be sure to play a leading role in any Pacific conflict. With tensions escalating and our relative gap in military power closing, failure to get the U.S. Navy its own advanced fighter in time would be devastating.
Prior to reporting that F/A-XX was being delayed, it appeared the program was on the verge of being awarded to either Boeing or Northrop Grumman. Regardless of who wins the contract, it will provide thousands of engineering and manufacturing jobs in America. Once in production, thousands of workers across traditional suppliers, smaller suppliers, start-ups and local shops across the nation would support the program. If Northrop Grumman wins, it would keep two cutting-edge fighter primes in play, leveraging a robust ramp of advanced manufacturing and technology investments in recent years, to ensure that U.S. aircraft makers are building the necessary industrial muscle to scale production when we need it most.
Historically, the American military aircraft industrial base – which includes hundreds of thousands of workers across thousands of companies – has proven capable of supporting multiple simultaneous aircraft programs. For example, the F-14, F-15, and F-16 aircraft were all introduced in the 1970s. Instead of overwhelming the industrial base, these programs helped invigorate and strengthen our supply chain to make it more resilient. Moving forward with both next-generation air dominance programs is good for the American industrial base and delaying either program will have negative impacts on an industry that is staffed and ready to execute today.
Delaying the Navy’s next-generation fighter program is also at odds with the needs assessments by both senior military leaders and Congress. As Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific, recently testified, China is aggressively fielding capabilities designed to deny the U.S. air superiority, and “ceding air superiority is not an option if we intend to maintain a capability against our adversaries and the ability to support our allies.” Recognizing the urgency of modernizing the Navy’s carrier-based aircraft, Congress has added hundreds of millions of dollars in President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” to accelerate the F/A-XX program.
Accelerating the program – not delaying it – is exactly what is needed to deliver on President Trump’s national security agenda, stay ahead of the Chinese threat, and get the gears of America’s great aerospace industrial base turning. American airpower is too important to jeopardize. Both the Air Force and the Navy need new fighters to secure continued American air dominance.