Few hours after the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations stated a contract award for F/A-XX is predicted by August, Northrop Grumman has teased as soon as once more a notional design for the next-gen fighter.
Northrop Grumman has as soon as once more teased its notional idea for the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX program, posting a brief video on social media. Notably, the brand new growth follows an announcement few hours earlier by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, who stated a contract award is now anticipated by August.
Teaser Video
The 15-second video launched by Northrop Grumman seems to point out the identical notional design which was offered in August 2025. This time, now we have a panning across the plane, displaying some extra of its options, together with the Navy’s peculiar folding wings.
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— Northrop Grumman (@northropgrumman) April 20, 2026
Equally to its first look, the plane is proven on the deck of an plane provider, which isn’t unsurprising given the position of the F/A-XX. Whereas the cropping of the primary picture didn’t permit to verify it, the video exhibits that this notional design is certainly a tailless plane, in keeping with most of the notional designs circulating for the Navy’s and Air Pressure’s sixth gen plane packages.
Low-observable air inlets are positioned symmetrically on the highest of the fuselage, simply behind the cockpit, however it isn’t attainable to find out what number of engines are put in on the plane. Because the inlets’ design is likely one of the most delicate features for stealth plane, that is more likely to be a placeholder.
A extremely streamlined design, which blends the chin with the wings and the remainder of the plane, ends in a sharp nostril. This would offer ample area for an AESA radar, though within the video the nostril seems smaller than within the first picture.
Service-specific options are additionally seen, reminiscent of the dual wheel nostril touchdown gear and launch bar. The video now exhibits for the primary time additionally the folding wings, that are prolonged within the ending.
As we reported in different events, it’s unlikely this design is an correct illustration of the one being included in Northrop Grumman’s bid for the F/A-XX program. As an example, the design of the Air Pressure’s F-47 was considerably altered within the two public representations to keep away from giving out too many design components that might compromise this system’s safety.
F/A-XX Contract Award
The way forward for the F/A-XX program has been unclear for a very long time, because the Pentagon and the White Home had been frightened that transferring ahead with the F/A-XX would decelerate the Air Pressure’s F-47. The funding for F/A-XX was additionally slashed a number of instances, earlier than being rescued by the U.S. Congress within the protection price range plans.
The Navy solely included $74 million within the fiscal 2026 price range for F/A-XX, in comparison with the $3.45 billion for the Air Pressure’s F-47. Congress later added an additional $1.69 billion to F/A-XX, together with $940 million in common funds and $750 million within the “One Huge Lovely Invoice Act.”
One thing comparable is once more taking place this yr, with the Navy requesting solely $140 million for F/A-XX, whereas the Air Pressure plans to request $5 billion. It’s possible Congress will as soon as once more intervene so as to add additional funds to the Navy’s next-gen fighter.
In the meantime, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, talking to reporters, stated {that a} contract award would possibly lastly arrive this yr. “I believe you’re going to see a downselect on this in August,” Caudle stated. “I believe that’s the month that they’ve dedicated to creating the choice on this system.”
Within the current previous, we had a number of situations wherein the contract award for F/A-XX was thought of to be very shut. It thus stays to be seen whether or not this time all will go in response to plans, with out shifting as soon as once more the timeline.
The packages, though it could not appear this manner, is a precedence for the service, particularly because the U.S. navy modernizes in preparation for a confrontation with peer adversaries. “It’s essential to proceed onward right here as a result of, I believe, China just isn’t slowing down, and we shouldn’t decelerate both,” Adm. James Kilby, then-acting chief of naval operations, advised Congress in June 2025.
A yr later, nevertheless, considerations nonetheless stay, particularly concerning the capability of the protection trade. In truth, in response to Adm. Caudle, one of many two corporations which can be bidding for F/A-XX lacks the capability to ship the fighter on time.
“One of many contractors who would make this aircraft for us is in a spot the place they actually can’t ship within the timeframe we’d like it,” Caudle stated. “So there was, simply, you already know, ‘examine twice, minimize as soon as’ type of mentality right here on this determination.”
Caudle didn’t establish which firm he was referring to. On the time, the anticipated bidders for F/A-XX are Boeing and Northrop Grumman, after Lockheed Martin was eradicated by the competitors.
Each corporations are presently busy with massive protection packages with each the Air Pressure and Navy. In truth, Boeing is presently engaged on the F-15EX Eagle II and T-7 Pink Hawk packages for the Air Pressure and the F/A-18E/F Tremendous Hornet Block III for the Navy, whereas Northrop Grumman is engaged on the B-21 Raider and the LGM-35 Sentinel ICBM for the Air Pressure.
