The US Navy’s next-generation F/A-XX program could face potential delays as the Pentagon has stated that it wants to prioritize the funding of the US Air Force (USAF) F-47 fighter program instead.
The Pentagon wants to prioritize the Air Force’s F-47 stealth fighter over the US Navy’s ambitions to construct its own next-generation jet, arguing that pursuing the two programs simultaneously could cause delays for both, Bloomberg reported.
“Simultaneously pursuing two sixth-generation fighters risks under-delivery on both,” the Department of Defense reportedly said last month to a House and Senate defense policy committee in a request.
The Defense Department requested that the committee divert $500 million from the “accelerated development” of a Navy stealth fighter to the F-47, a contract for which was awarded by President Donald Trump to Boeing in March 2025.
The Pentagon argued that the F-47, “which has full presidential support,” should receive the additional $500 million instead of the US Navy.
“Given the schedule delays and cost growth across numerous airframes, DoD recommends a focus on the F-47, giving the Navy’s F/A-XX program time for technical maturity and development,” the Defense Department stated. “Phasing the F/A-XX after the Air Force’s initial F-47 development will alleviate capacity concerns in the industrial base.”
The latest report comes days after Reuters reported that Congress and the Trump administration were locking horns, causing delays in awarding the contract for the F/A-XX program.
The Navy was earlier poised to award the contract in March, the same month when Boeing received the official green light to build the F-47.
The Trump administration has stated that the F-47 will become operational before the end of Donald Trump’s term in 2029. This may be the reason behind an enhanced push for expansion in funding for the F-47.
Nonetheless, the House Armed Services Committee remains unconvinced by the Pentagon’s argument. Denying the request made by the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the committee added the $500 million for the Navy’s F/A-XX in the $3.9 trillion package that was sent to the Senate.
The Senate Armed Services Committee on June 3 unveiled its defense section of the tax, or reconciliation, bill. It includes $750 million to “accelerate the FA/XX aircraft.” The Pentagon request was turned down, although Republicans currently lead the Senate and the House.
Heather Vaughan, a committee spokesperson, said the committee is not on board with the Pentagon’s decision to reroute the funds to the F-47 because the department has not fully explained why that was needed.
The spokesperson noted that the Pentagon “has yet to brief the committee on any changes for its plans to develop and procure the new Navy fighter.
“Absent any new information from the Navy concerning revision to defined capability gaps and shortfalls, mission requirements, cost, or acquisition strategy for F/A-XX, the committee continues to support the development of this critical platform,” she said.
The US Navy requires the F/A-XX to replace the aging F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. After Lockheed Martin withdrew from the program in March, two contractors—Boeing and Northrop Grumman—are competing to build the Navy’s next-generation fighter.
Historically, the US Navy’s fighter jet program has trailed the USAF’s fighter program. For instance, the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet faced delays in the 1990s due to budget constraints and debates over its effectiveness, with several members of Congress advising the upgrade of the Hornets instead.
Ominous Signs For Taiwan & Japan! Why South Korea’s New President Is Good News For China & Russia
A comparable multirole fighter of the USAF–the F-15E Strike Eagle–entered service in 1989. Meanwhile, the Super Hornet’s first flight was in 1995, and operational capability was achieved in 2001.
These delays were partly caused by the Navy’s desire to strike a balance between carrier-specific requirements and financial constraints.
Later, the F-35 program, managed by the Joint Program Office, prioritized the F-35A and F-35B due to their earlier operational needs and less complex technical requirements compared to the F-35C. In fact, the F-35C carrier variant was the last to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2019, following the F-35A (2016) and the F-35B (2015).
Since the F-35 was already so expensive, the variants might have had to compete for resources. The Marine Corps, which urgently needed to replace its old AV-8B Harriers, and the USAF, which had a larger aircraft inventory and a wider mission scope, were able to induct the aircraft sooner than the Navy. In general, Navy carrier-variant aircraft have some extensive technical modifications tailored to carrier operations.
Mission To Mars: Trump-Musk Ugly Spat Could Jeopardize Red Planet Mission, Renowned Mars Expert Says
The Navy’s F-35C, while critical for carrier air wings, relied on F/A-18E/F Super Hornets as a stopgap for a significant amount of time. However, this has since turned around, and the F-35C is now being prioritised for purchase, even by the US Marine Corps.
Having said that, US lawmakers and experts have repeatedly warned against delays in the next-generation fighter jet program, particularly as the threat of conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific remains a constant concern.
F/A-XX Needed In A China Conflict
Last month, Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif, the head of the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense, said that “any hesitancy” to move forward with the Navy’s proposed F/A-XX program will leave the service “outmatched” in a future conflict with China, as reported by Breaking Defense at the time.
Speaking at a posture hearing, he said, “We need sixth-generation fighters. The US Navy needs sixth-generation fighters. I’m concerned that any hesitancy on our part to proceed with the planned procurement of the sixth-gen fighters for the Navy will leave us dangerously outmatched in a China fight.”
“We cannot wait,” the appropriator added. “Further, we cannot expect to grow the defense industrial base by undermining it. Aviation programs that rely on highly specialized supply chains and skilled labor cannot be turned on and off like a switch.”
A previous Reuters report stated that postponing contract award by three years “would effectively cancel the program as it is currently defined,” as prices and contracts would expire during that time, almost guaranteeing a new competition.
Though little is known about the fighter jet’s capabilities, it is expected that the aircraft would be able to operate from a carrier deck and have advanced capabilities, including increased range, stealth, and AI integration.
The F/A-XX will be developed with the premise that it will need to travel vast distances in the Indo-Pacific and withstand the rising threat from China’s air defenses. The sixth-generation fighter will be fighting in contested territory.
The US Navy’s Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly had earlier said the design will have a 25% longer range than existing tactical aircraft systems, such as the F/A-18E/F and F-35C. The sixth-generation fighter will be specifically designed to work closely with unmanned aircraft using a control method known as “man-on-the-loop.”
Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby said on the first day of the Navy-centric Sea Air Space exhibition outside of Washington, DC, that the US Navy requires the F/A-XX just like the USAF. “I mean, we’re talking about a fight in the Pacific. We fight together as a joint force, so having that capability is very important for us,” he added.
Later, speaking at a posture hearing, Kilby said, “The carrier is the most survivable airfield we have, period, and stop. The sixth-gen fighter is the keystone of our air wing of the future.” The aircraft carrier “brings mass volume fires over and over and over again, where a submarine will have to be reloaded and a destroyer will have to be reloaded … and take it offline. That carrier has got sustainment power, and the thing that delivers it is a fifth-gen and sixth-generation fighter into the future.”
While internal discussions rage over the future of the F/A-XX program, which is largely being developed to battle in the Pacific, China has already begun flight testing its two next-generation fighter-like aircraft. One is widely, albeit unofficially, referred to as the J-36, and the other is known as the J-XDS, or J-50.
- Contact the author at sakshi.tiwari9555 (at) gmail.com
- Follow EurAsian Times on Google News
