Boeing has pulled the curtain back on the F/A-XX, its contender to become the U.S. Navy’s next-generation carrier-based fighter. Presented at the Tailhook Symposium, the concept is being hailed as the future cornerstone of American naval aviation in the 2030s, built to replace the aging F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet and ensure dominance in contested maritime environments.
Carrier aircraft face some of the toughest conditions in aviation—exposure to saltwater corrosion, takeoffs from moving decks, and landings on runways shorter than a football field. Boeing’s F/A-XX is being tailored for these demands, boasting an estimated operating range of 1,700 miles, around 25% farther than the F-35C Lightning II. This extended reach is seen as crucial in the Pacific, where China’s growing arsenal of long-range missiles threatens U.S. carriers.
The design revealed by Boeing features a tailless delta-wing profile, a bubble canopy similar to its Air Force-oriented F-47, and most notably canards, small forward wings that improve control during difficult carrier landings. While canards enhance maneuverability at low speeds, they also increase radar visibility. This trade-off suggests Boeing is prioritizing survivability and agility in maritime conditions over absolute stealth.
With aerial refueling, Boeing estimates the F/A-XX could extend a carrier wing’s operational range to a staggering 11 million square miles larger than the entire North American continent. The fighter is also designed to act as a “quarterback” for unmanned aircraft, directing drones to expand strike capacity and sensor coverage. This will rely heavily on advanced artificial intelligence, able to process and share vast streams of data across a global network.
Boeing isn’t the only player in the race. Northrop Grumman, the last remaining competitor after Lockheed Martin was eliminated earlier this year, has unveiled a stealth-focused design without canards, emphasizing radar invisibility above all else. The Navy now faces a difficult choice: whether to prioritize stealth at all costs or accept some trade-offs in radar signature for greater agility and carrier compatibility.
Unlike the Air Force’s F-47, which will use a new adaptive-cycle engine, Boeing plans to power the F/A-XX with a derivative powerplant. The company argues this will save development time and costs while still providing enough thrust to support hypersonic missiles and potentially directed-energy weapons such as airborne lasers.
The fighter will be designed with modular payloads, enabling it to carry everything from advanced air-to-air missiles to future high-energy weapons. Its networking and electronic warfare systems will be built with adaptability in mind, ensuring the aircraft stays ahead of evolving threats.
Boeing has already invested $2 billion into infrastructure, including its Advanced Combat Aircraft Assembly Factory in St. Louis, where the F/A-XX and the Air Force’s F-47 could be built side by side. Company executives believe producing both aircraft simultaneously is realistic due to shared design features and parts. As Boeing Defense CEO Steve Parker explained: “We believe the US defense industry can support both programs.”
The F/A-XX is intended to complement the Navy’s F-35C while gradually phasing out the Super Hornet. It represents a generational leap in naval aviation one that balances range, survivability, and adaptability with the realities of maritime combat.