Navy's F/A-XX: Upgrade Carrier Air Wings or Lose to China in the Pacific
The U.S. Navy faces an increasingly urgent modernization challenge that threatens American naval aviation dominance in the Pacific. While the USS Gerald R. Ford and Carrier Air Wing 8 project remarkable power projection capabilities, the aircraft carrier fleet operates with aging strike fighters that mask a dangerous capability gap: the absence of an approved next-generation combat aircraft.
Admiral James Kilby, acting Chief of Naval Operations, made the Navy’s position unmistakably clear during June testimony: “We need F/A-XX in the United States Navy. We’re talking about a fight in the Pacific.” Yet despite this clarity, Pentagon leadership has imposed successive delays on the F/A-XX program, citing various justifications from concerns about carrier survivability to questions about manned versus unmanned aviation.
The F/A-XX represents the logical evolution of naval strike aviation strategy developed over decades. Just as the F6F Hellcat received range and engine improvements during World War II, and the F-14 Tomcat carried the AN/AWG-9 radar for extended-range “outer air battle” against Soviet bombers, the F/A-XX embodies the same principle: extending strike range to maximize carrier lethality and maneuver room.
The Navy’s comprehensive modernization plan addresses this requirement through three integrated capabilities. The Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) and SM-6 weapons system, already operational, provide extended strike reach. The MQ-25 Stingray, scheduled for fleet integration in 2026, represents a revolutionary stealthy tanking drone offering 15,000 pounds of fuel delivery at 500 nautical miles from the carrier. However, the entire architecture pivots on the missing piece: F/A-XX.
Current F-35C and F/A-18EF aircraft achieve approximately 600 nautical miles combat radius. Navy projections indicate F/A-XX will exceed 750 nautical miles unrefueled. Combined with SM-6 missiles delivering 250+ nautical miles range, the integrated air wing achieves 1,000-mile strike radius. Adding MQ-25 tanking extends effective range to 1,000-1,500 miles from the carrier, fundamentally altering tactical geometry by enabling launches from vastly wider ocean areas.
This advantage directly counters China’s advancing naval capabilities, including new aircraft carriers in sea trials and stealthy aircraft in testing. The strategic imperative is indisputable, yet Pentagon indecision persists.
The timeline is critical. F/A-18EF production terminates in 2027. Both Boeing and Northrop Grumman maintain mature F/A-XX prototypes with ready supplier networks. A decision authorizing engineering and manufacturing design phases now could enable first flight by 2028-2029, matching the careful development timeline applied to the B-21 stealth bomber.
Delaying F/A-XX further risks leaving carrier air wings operating obsolete platforms during the decisive period when Chinese capabilities mature. Pentagon leadership must act decisively to preserve American naval aviation superiority.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764705886520-1075