Overview

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved moving the program forward last week, according to officials cited by multiple outlets.
• Boeing and Northrop Grumman are the remaining contenders after Lockheed Martin was removed earlier in the competition.
• The F/A-XX is slated to replace F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and is expected to feature advanced stealth, longer range, and teaming with uncrewed aircraft.
• Key parameters including total quantity, overall cost, and exact schedule remain classified, even as reporting points to a multibillion‑dollar effort.
• Progress follows months of funding disputes and fresh congressional support, including an FY2026 earmark, with officials also weighing industrial capacity and schedule risks tied to other major programs.