【By Observer Net, Zhang Jingjuan】Reuters reported on the 7th, citing U.S. officials and sources familiar with the matter, that the next-generation stealth fighter project of the U.S. Navy is about to reach a critical milestone - the Pentagon is expected to finalize the contractor this week, responsible for the development and construction of the new carrier-based aircraft codenamed F/A-XX. This equipment, which will cost billions of dollars, is seen as a core project for the United States in its military competition with China.

Currently, Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the production contract of this aircraft, which will replace the F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet" fleet that has been in service with the U.S. Navy since the 1990s.

A U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter said that U.S. Defense Secretary Austin decided on October 3rd to proceed with the selection of the contract recipient.

Another source said that the U.S. Navy may announce the winner of the fighter aircraft construction project this week, but the sources also pointed out that there have been past last-minute incidents that caused delays in projects, and similar risks still exist this time. As of now, the U.S. Navy and the Pentagon have not responded to requests for comment.

The report highlights widespread doubts about the future development of the U.S. Navy's aviation forces and the role of aircraft carriers in confronting China. If the project continues to be delayed or faces insufficient funding, the U.S. Navy may face a situation where it has no modern carrier-based aircraft available by the 2030s and beyond, which could weaken the U.S. Navy's power projection capability.

According to the report, the F/A-XX project is expected to have advanced stealth capabilities, longer range and endurance, and the ability to integrate with unmanned combat aircraft and the U.S. Navy's shipboard air defense systems.

Roman Schweizer, an analyst at TD Cowen, said that China has shown remarkable ambition in developing sixth-generation fighter prototypes and deploying fifth-generation fighters and bombers, so the awarding of this contract can be seen as an important decision made by the United States to keep up with China.

Boeing's concept art for the F/A-XX, Social Media

This spring and summer, funding disputes between the Pentagon and Congress have hindered the progress of the project. The Pentagon had applied for $74 million for this aircraft project to maintain its "minimum research and development funding."

Reuters reported in May this year that some Pentagon officials sought to delay the project by up to three years due to concerns about engineering technology and supply chain capabilities.

Meanwhile, Congress and the Navy wanted to move forward with the contract award process. In the large tax cut and spending bill signed into law by Congress in the summer, $750 million was allocated to accelerate the F/A-XX aircraft project. In addition, Congress also designated an additional $1.4 billion budget for the project in fiscal year 2026.

In addition to the funding disputes, the performance capability of the two bidders has also become a focus of discussion.

During the months of project delays, discussions were held on whether Northrop Grumman and Boeing, the two defense contractors, could complete the aircraft construction on schedule. Sources revealed that after Boeing won the U.S. Air Force F-47 aircraft construction contract in March, defense officials discussed whether Boeing had enough engineers to invest in the F/A-XX project. Officials also discussed whether Northrop Grumman would be pressured by the rising costs of the "Sentinel" intercontinental ballistic missile project.

The number of F/A-XX aircraft to be purchased, the total value of the project, and the specific timeline remain classified. However, according to the U.S. military equipment planning, the U.S. Navy still plans to purchase more than 270 F-35C aircraft from Lockheed Martin for its aircraft carrier fleet. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin was excluded from the F/A-XX project bidding.

Under the current plan, the first batch of F/A-XX production models is expected to enter service in the 2030s, while the F/A-18 series is expected to remain in service until the 2040s.

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