DefenseBoeing suggests new Navy fighter proposal based on F-47 design
Boeing has presented a new rendering of its F/A-XX concept, offering the first visual indication that the company’s proposal for the US Navy’s next-generation carrier-based fighter may share design similarities with the F-47, the next U.S. Air Force fighter jet.
The image was displayed at the Tailhook Symposium, a key industry event, and showed the aircraft partially obscured by clouds, with the rear section out of view.
The F/A-XX and F-47 are both classified as sixth-generation fighters, but they are being developed for different operational requirements. The F/A-XX is intended to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet on US Navy aircraft carriers.
According to reports, the F/A-XX is expected to have a 25% greater range than current carrier-based strike fighters and use a derivative engine, contrasting with the F-47, which is planned to feature a new adaptive propulsion system and a combat radius exceeding 1,000 nautical miles, with a top speed above Mach 2.
The F/A-XX rendering reveals a cockpit similar in shape to the F-47 but with a smaller radome. Further technical details remain undisclosed, as the rendering does not display the rear of the aircraft.
Northrop Grumman proposal
Boeing’s approach contrasts with Northrop Grumman, which has also released a concept image for its F/A-XX proposal. The concept shows a fighter with a sharp nose and air intakes above the wing roots on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
The F/A-XX program is currently under review, with the Pentagon’s 2026 budget request referencing a pause in its development. Despite this, Boeing continues to invest in the sector, with approximately $2 billion allocated to new facilities dedicated to air dominance programs, including a new combat aircraft assembly site in St. Louis.
CEO Steve Parker of Boeing Defense stated that the company is prepared to compete for both the Navy’s F/A-XX and the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programs, should it win both competitions.
The next steps for the F/A-XX program remain contingent on the outcome of the ongoing budget review and future decisions by the US Department of Defense. The eventual selection will have significant implications for Boeing, the broader defense industry, and the modernization of US Navy carrier air wings.
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