This article is published in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report part of Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN), and is complimentary through Sep 05, 2025. For information on becoming an AWIN Member to access more content like this, click here.
F/A-XX rendering provided by Boeing to Aviation Week.
A new rendering of Boeing’s proposed F/A-XX design provided to Aviation Week indicates the company may be incorporating parts of its design for the U.S. Air Force’s F-47 into the Navy program.
The new rendering, first shown in a presentation at the Tailhook Symposium last week, shows the aircraft highly obfuscated by clouds as it flies over a Navy carrier. The clouds are covering sections of the aircraft where potentially canards and wingtips would be visible. No tail is visible.
Both the F/A-XX rendering and the two released depictions of the F-47 are designed to hide much of the aircraft’s shape. The two aircraft, while both sixth-generation fighters, are expected to be significantly different. Navy officials have said they are targeting increased range—about 25% more than current strike fighters—along with survivability. However, the F/A-XX will use a derivative engine as opposed to the F-47, which is expected to use a new adaptive power plant.
Details of the F-47 posted by the Air Force state the aircraft will have a combat radius greater than 1,000 nm and a top speed over Mach 2.
The F/A-XX design’s cockpit appears to have a similar shape to the F-47. The Navy version’s radome appears significantly smaller than the wide radome of the Air Force fighter, which appears to lead to two canards. Previously released Boeing Navy concepts had shown a tail-less fighter.
The rendering comes shortly after Northrop Grumman released a rendering of its design for the program. The two companies are vying for a contract award, which now appears more likely following Congressional support and advocacy from some Navy officials. The Pentagon, in its fiscal 2026 budget request, called for pausing the program, using limited funding to complete a design and leave the program as an option as it goes all-in on the F-47.
Navy and Pentagon budget officials raised concerns about the defense industry’s capacity to build two high-end fighters at the same time. Company officials have sought to downplay the concerns. In June, Steve Parker, Boeing Defense and Space CEO, said he doesn’t see this as an issue, as the company designed its F/A-XX and F-47 strategy to compete and win both.
Boeing has invested about $2 billion in new facilities for air dominance programs, including the under-construction Advanced Combat Aircraft Assembly Facility in St. Louis.
Related Content
Comments