US Navy rules out Lockheed Martin from competition for new carrier-based fighter
The manufacturer of the F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters, Lockheed Martin, is out of the US Navy’s F/A-XX competition, according to sources at Breaking Defense.
According to the outlet, the proposal presented by Lockheed did not meet the program’s requirements and therefore the company is no longer participating in the competition.
The following would remain in the competition: Boeing, which currently supplies the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the main fighter for the USN aircraft carriers, and Northrop-Grumman, which has a long tradition in carrier-based aircraft, the most recent of which is the F-14 Tomcat.
Neither the Navy nor Lockheed responded to requests for comment from Breaking Defense and Reuters.
The F/A-XX program aims to produce a 6th generation fighter to replace the F/A-18E/F that have been in service since the 1990s.
Although the US Air Force (USAF) also has a similar project, the NGAD, the two services followed different configurations, unlike the development of the F-35 fighter, from Lockheed Martin itself.
The Lightning II gave rise to land-based versions (F-35A), vertical or short takeoff and landing (F-35B), operated by the Marines, and aircraft carrier takeoff and landing, the F-35C, of which the US Navy has plans to acquire 270 more aircraft.
Advanced fighters are a “waste of money”
The future of the F/A-XX is also at stake in the Trump administration, which has been reviewing complex and expensive programs. Advisor to the president, billionaire Elon Musk has declared himself against advanced fighters, considering them a waste of money.
Both the Air Force and Navy are waiting for the US Congress to approve the names of their new secretaries, nominated by Trump. It is possible that after that the fate of the NGAD and the F/A-XX will be clarified.
China’s recent advance towards 6th generation fighters may be a factor to be taken into account in the decision.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
