Navy's F/A-XX Fighter Decision Urged: 'Quickly' Needed
WASHINGTON - Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle intensified calls for a rapid decision on the F/A-XX next-generation fighter program, warning that delays could jeopardize the Navy’s operational readiness against advanced peer threats. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, Caudle stated he wants the decision made “quickly” given the considerable time required to develop, test, and field any resulting aircraft.
“It’s my job to inform the secretary of war’s team about that imperative,” Caudle told reporters. “I’m trying to build a compelling case to get that decision made quickly” based on warfighting needs and the strategic requirement to maintain technological superiority.
The F/A-XX program has stalled amid reported friction between Congress, the Navy, and the broader Defense Department. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are competing for the contract to develop the sixth-generation aircraft, which would supplement Lockheed Martin’s F-35 in the Navy’s carrier air wings.
Caudle emphasized the tactical necessity of the platform, stating that carrier-based fighters must be “the highest-end platform possible to penetrate deep into a weapon engagement zone” with confidence in long-range munitions employment. He warned the Navy is “diverging” from threat curves in some operational domains where potential adversaries maintain advantages.
The decision faces opposition from Pentagon leadership. Michael Duffey, the Defense Department’s chief weapons buyer, acknowledged the department must balance rapid production with industrial base capacity concerns. The U.S. defense industrial base is facing potential simultaneous demand for both the Navy’s F/A-XX and the Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation fighter program, awarded to Boeing earlier this year.
“I don’t have an opinion [on that] right now. That’s one of the things we’re working through,” Duffey said when questioned about whether domestic manufacturers could handle concurrent production.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly opposes proceeding with F/A-XX development simultaneously with the F-47, citing execution risks aligned with the White House’s public position.
Congressional defense hawks have sided with the Navy. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., stated: “We need F/A-XX. By any measure we need it. Congress has made the decision. Congress has done the authorization. Congress has put in the dollars.”
The disagreement represents a significant divergence between Navy operational requirements and Pentagon resource allocation priorities, with critical implications for carrier air wing capabilities and industrial base utilization.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1765058686233-1218