Navy's F/A-XX Fighter Decision Urged: 'Quickly' Needed

Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle is pressing for an expedited decision on the F/A-XX next-generation fighter program, citing the extended timeline required for development, testing, and fielding. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Caudle emphasized the warfighting imperative for a sixth-generation platform to complement the F-35 in carrier air wings and maintain technological superiority against peer competitors. The program remains stalled amid disagreements between Congress, the Navy, and the Defense Department, with Boeing and Northrop Grumman competing for the contract. Pentagon weapons buyer Michael Duffey noted concerns about industrial base capacity to simultaneously produce both the Navy’s F/A-XX and the Air Force’s F-47 fighter program.