U.S. Navy charts new course with independent F/A‑XX development
The future aircraft intended to serve all United States Armed Forces branches will not come to fruition. The U.S. Navy has decided to develop its futuristic F/A-XX aircraft independently from the NGAD program. This design could take on the responsibility of aerial combat against Chinese aviation should a conflict arise.
The NGAD program was originally designed to identify a sixth-generation aircraft for the U.S. Air Force—a machine intended to replace the F-22 Raptor fighter jets and, in the future, operate alongside the F-35 aircraft currently being introduced into service. A component of the joint NGAD program for the entire armed forces was the F/A-XX program, which aimed to build an aircraft that meets naval requirements.
Due to budget issues and forecasts suggesting that a single NGAD aircraft could cost several hundred million dollars, the program's future became uncertain. Consequently, the U.S. Navy decided to independently develop the new carrier-based aircraft, thus advancing the F/A-XX program.
The U.S. Navy's decision was announced in an interview with Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly by "Aviation Week." Developing the new carrier-based aircraft independently aims to safeguard this essential machine from potential complications, budget cuts, and delays.
American naval aviation
American naval aviation—alongside transport aircraft like the C-2A Greyhound or early warning E-2D Advanced Hawkeye—currently consists of two types of combat aircraft. The first and most numerous is the Super Hornet. Its predecessor is the F/A-18 Hornet—an aircraft developed alongside the F-16, which lost the competition for the U.S. Air Force machine to the Viper but was chosen by the U.S. Navy.
In subsequent years, many international users (in Europe alone, these included Finland, Spain, and Switzerland) recognized the F/A-18's advantages and design—even before the "deal of the century."
The modernized, upgraded, and larger version of the Hornet is the currently dominant F/A-18E/F Super Hornet on the decks of American aircraft carriers. The original, older models are still in service but remain only with the U.S. Marine Corps.
The second type of carrier-based aircraft, gradually being implemented, is the F-35C, the "naval" variant of the F-35. Compared to the F-35A, the F-35C features enlarged, foldable wings and control surfaces, reinforced landing gear, and a typical carrier aircraft hook for landing with arresting gear.
Maintaining two main types of combat aircraft simultaneously has ensured naval aviation's continuous modernity and readiness. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet complemented the F/A-18 as they were withdrawn, and the F-35C is becoming the complement to the F/A-18E/F.
After the retirement of Super Hornets (and electronic warfare aircraft EA-18G Growlers), the F-35C will be supplemented by the future aircraft developed under the F/A-XX program.
A new carrier-based aircraft for American aircraft carriers
The origins of this machine date back to 2008, but the Navy only presented the general requirements for the future naval combat aircraft in 2012. It aims to offer new capabilities in air combat and striking ground targets—including close air support—and electronic warfare.
It is worth emphasizing the planned versatility of the new design. Specialized fighter aircraft like the F-14 Tomcat were withdrawn from service in 2006, and new-generation specialized strike aircraft A-12 Avenger II never materialized.
The Navy has yet to publicly disclose a detailed concept for the new aircraft. However, a popular vision is for a relatively simple machine that realizes its full capabilities not as a standalone unit but as part of the Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) system.
F/A-XX – a cog in the NIFC-CA machine
According to this concept, future combat aircraft will not rely solely on their radars due to advanced communication. They will primarily draw information from sources such as satellite reconnaissance, early warning aircraft, or other sensors that can enhance battlefield awareness.
Their survivability is ensured not by extremely high speed and manoeuvrability but by stealth capabilities, electronic warfare systems, and long-range weapons carried onboard.
These machines are expected to be the backbone of American naval aviation in the event of a conflict with Beijing, confronting new-generation Chinese aircraft like the Chengdu J-20 or new combat drones. However, the U.S. Navy has little time to develop, produce, and deploy the new aircraft type.
The timeline that assumes aircraft resulting from the F/A-XX program will begin entering service in the early 2030s is crucial for the Navy. Although the last Super Hornets will leave the production line in 2027, their lifespan—estimated at 9,000 flight hours—for older aircraft of this type will start to expire. Introducing their successors into service will become not just an option but a necessity.
