Aviation Week is reporting that Boeing has released a new rendering of its proposed F/A-XX sixth-generation naval fighter. The artwork shows the aircraft veiled in clouds as it hovers over a carrier deck, with canards, tail surfaces, and wing tips deliberately hidden, disguising what the plane could look like as a whole. However, what is visible appears extremely similar to the in-development F-47.
Although both the F/A-XX and the Boeing F-47 fall under programs named Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), they serve distinct roles. The F-47 is being designed specifically for the United States Air Force, whereas the F/A-XX is part of a separate NGAD program intended for the US Navy.
Looking At Boeing’s F/A-XX Rendering
The rendering reveals little about the full form of the F/A-XX, but several visible features stand out. The cockpit canopy hints at a bubble shape akin to that found on the F-47. The radome appears narrower, and the rendering covers areas where canards could be located, along with obscuring the wingtips. Notably, no vertical stabilizers are visible, and prior concepts suggest that Boeing is ditching these for both the F/A-XX and the F-47.
Information is far from abundant on these two new planes, but this design signals possible shared airframe design language. This is despite the fact that the two aircraft will reportedly have very low commonality, according to 
Boeing, though this may be a reflection of a single design philosophy rather than an attempt to boost parts commonality and lower costs.
Ultimately, this is just a concept. The final F/A-XX design may differ fundamentally, with mission requirements, especially naval demands like folding wings, reinforced structures, and arresting gear, creating an aircraft that looks very different. The F/A-XX contract has not been awarded yet, meaning that it may not even be Boeing that manufactures the jet. Ultimately, this is a rendering of a proposal, rather than a true depiction of a real aircraft.
Overview Of The F/A-XX Program
The F/A-XX program is the key component of the Navy’s NGAD family of systems. It’s primarily intended to replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet and complement the Lockheed Martin F-35C. Boeing, one of two companies bidding on the F/A-XX, believes that it can build both naval and Air Force sixth-gen jets in parallel and streamline both aircraft’s development.
Despite Boeing’s confidence, the Pentagon worries that the defense industry cannot handle both at once. As such, the Pentagon’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026 provided well over $3 billion of funding for the F-47, while the F/A-XX was allocated $76 million. Despite uncertainty from the Pentagon, Boeing remains committed to the program and invested roughly $2 billion in a new combat aircraft assembly facility in St. Louis.
After a proposal by Lockheed Martin failed to meet the necessary criteria, the competition became a two-way race between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Northrop Grumman released its own rendering of the F/A-XX earlier in August, with the design appearing stealth-oriented, along with a broad nose, space for a single pilot, a large belly, and a noticeable lack of canards, a feature speculated to be present on Boeing’s proposal.
The Next Steps For The F/A-XX Program
The F/A-XX remains in a critical phase. Despite initial design and renderings, the Navy still awaits a decision, with the program’s future tied directly to budget outcomes and industrial strategy shifts. Despite Boeing’s confidence in its ability to deliver the F/A-XX and the F-47, the decision-makers in the Pentagon do not share the same sentiment.
The F/A-XX program is currently on hold, and priority is instead being given to the F-47 program for the United States Air Force. The F-47 itself, as the world’s first sixth-generation fighter, would be one of the most expensive and technically challenging programs that any manufacturer has ever taken on. For the military to fund a parallel sixth-generation project would require a significant shift in the Pentagon’s sentiment.
|
American Fifth Generation Fighters |
American Sixth Generation Fighters |
|---|---|
|
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor |
Boeing F-47 |
|
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (F-35A, F-35B, F-35C) |
F/A-XX (Boeing or Northrop Grumman) |
The F-47 is the priority, and as the aircraft progresses further through development, this is where we could see additional progress on the F/A-XX. Until then, the Navy will likely need to extend the life of its F/A-18 Super Hornets until the contract is awarded and the aircraft goes from a concept to a reality.
