F/A-XX

WASHINGTON — Congress released the compromise National Defense Authorization Act Sunday evening, delivering a significant funding boost to the Department of Defense. The legislation provides approximately $8 billion above the Pentagon’s budget request, representing a negotiated middle ground between competing House and Senate priorities. The compromise figure reflects contentious budget negotiations between chambers. The House maintained the Pentagon’s original request, while the Senate pushed for $32 billion in additional funding. The $8 billion compromise emerged as a workable target for both parties.

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. “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 U.S. Navy faces an increasingly urgent modernization challenge that threatens American naval aviation dominance in the Pacific. 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.