US Senate Defense Bill Decimates Future US Navy F/A-XX Next-Gen Fighter

Summary

  • Senate NDAA cuts F/A-XX funding by 90%
  • Uncertain future of manned next-gen fighters
  • Decision reflects budget constraints and changing combat needs.

The prospects of America’s manned component of the sixth-generation NGAD fighter program and the Navy’s program (typically called F/A-XX) are becoming more murky or even bleak. A draft Senate bill would cut the funding for the Navy’s F/A-XX program by 90%.

The F/A-XX is in development to be the next carrier-based manned aircraft for the Navy, and previous estimates suggest it should come into service around 2035. Separately, fresh doubt was cast on the Air Force’s NGAD program after the Air Force stated it was no replacement for the F-22 Raptor.

Draft Senate NDAA largely removes F/A-XX funding

In a new draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2025 Fiscal Year, the Senate Armed Service Committee wants to slash the authorized spending amount on the F/A-XX to just $53.828 million (the reason for this very specific dollar amount is unclear). This is a drastic reduction in development funds for the F/A-XX program. The NDAA line item reads (in thousands of dollars), “Next Generation Fighter (aka F/A-XX) $453,828 – $53,828 Program decrease $400,000.”

A render of an F/A-XX flying in the sky by Northropp Grumman.

Photo: Northrop Grumman

For reference, the Navy requested $1.53 billion in its Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal but reduced it to just $453,828 for Fiscal Year 2025 (the Navy also forecasted requesting almost $1 billion for each year 2026-2029).

The War Zone reported that the Navy had previously said that the Navy’s cut represented a deliberate decision to focus on other priorities. The Navy stated in March that the service is still committed to the F/A-XX in the long term.

It should be noted that the manned F/A-XX fighter is just one component of the larger system of systems envisioned to make up the program. Also in development are advanced Collaborate Combat Aircraft (CCA) perhaps better known as loyal wingman drones. The Air Force’s CCA prototypes are already flying with General Atomics, and Anduril has given the green light to move their drones on to the next stage.

Related

US Air Force To Pick 6th-Gen Fighter Jet Developer This Year

The US Air Force is working to get to a point to moving the human-controlled component of NGAD to picking a prime contractor.

Too early to draw conclusions

It is becoming increasingly unclear what the future of US-built manned next-generation fighters will be, and it is unclear if it is too early to speculate about manned sixth-generation fighter jet cancellations. More time is also needed to determine whether the decision is purely related to funding constraints or whether the role of expensive manned fighters in future conflicts is also being reassessed. Further afield, it is unclear if this will have any ramifications for the viability of other country’s sixth-generation fighter programs – such as the British Tempest.

A render of three next generation fighter jets flying above the clouds.

Photo: Mike Mareen | Shutterstock

Furthermore, it should be noted that this Senate NDAA is just a draft, and it is likely to change more, and the House of Representatives is producing its own version of the bill. Only time will tell what funding will be for the F/A-XX program in the final version. The funding may be restored, but the fact that the Senate committee has chosen to withdraw the funding in this draft can only raise questions. The War Zone notes it is also possible that funding could come through classified channels.

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