# Boeing awarded US$20-billion Navy fighter development contract

_Published Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 1:05 AM EDT · Products, Policy · Latest · Tier 1 — Major_

![Render of the F/A-XX in flight — Primary](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/ddc9610/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1008+0+36/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F7f%2Faf%2F4079ece946a39c53fa24295932db%2Fonceptfaxx.jpg&na.image_optimisation=0)

Boeing has been awarded a US$20-billion US Navy contract to develop the F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter, New Atlas reports. Boeing beat rival Northrop Grumman for the contract.

The Navy needs a multirole aircraft that can operate from carriers, conduct strike missions and engage surface targets. Carrier operations require a stronger airframe and undercarriage to withstand catapult launches and arrested landings, as well as resistance to saltwater corrosion. Those requirements affect aircraft weight and operational range. Many details of the F/A-XX remain classified.

## Sources

- [New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News](https://newatlas.com/military/boeing-faxx-fighter-contract-us-navy/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/k0kc0l5ql4FzOR56--ZMsp
Published: 2026-10-04T05:05:56.410Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-04T04:00:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-04T07:08:26.711Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)