Trump's budget cuts put future navy aircraft in jeopardy
Following President Trump's decision to cut defence spending by 8 percent, the F/A-XX programme, the new carrier-based aircraft part of the NGAD initiative, is encountering difficulties. The previously favoured contender, Lockheed Martin, has been excluded from developing the aircraft for the Navy.
The F/A-XX programme aims to design a future carrier-based aircraft for the U.S. Navy. Currently, the air groups of American aircraft carriers consist of - alongside the F-35C - F/A-18E/F Super Hornet planes. These are combat-proven and well-regarded machines, but their potential for modernisation is gradually being exhausted.
The F/A-18E/F is based on the F/A-18 aircraft, developed back in the 1970s. In its current version, the Super Hornet has been enlarged compared to the original, and its equipment has been modernised. However, it is not considered a forward-looking design, and production of this model is set to end in 2027.
The successor to the Super Hornet, and simultaneously a future aircraft for the Navy, is intended to emerge from the F/A-XX programme. It is part of the broader NGAD initiative, through which the Pentagon aims to develop not only a sixth-generation aircraft but an entire ecosystem in which this machine will operate.
The Navy's needs differ from those of the Air Force (USAF), which is why the F/A-XX programme is conducted separately. The naval aircraft will have a different airframe and probably a different propulsion system than the future USAF aircraft, but other equipment will be harmonised as much as possible.
Lockheed Martin excluded from the F/A-XX programme
Until recently, three competitors were involved in developing the future machine for the US Navy - Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin. The latter was considered the favourite, as Lockheed Martin is responsible for the current, most advanced aircraft of the American armed forces, such as the F-22 or F-35.
Breaking Defense first reported the news about the favourite's exclusion from further competition; however, other than Lockheed Martin's elimination, no details, such as the reasons for this decision or the Pentagon's stance on the matter, are known—the military refused to comment.
Trump administration savings
In addition, the future of the F/A-XX programme is in question. Although the development of naval aircraft has not officially been abandoned, the U.S. Navy has postponed allocating one billion dollars to enable progress in development work in fiscal year 2025.
This fits into a broader trend linked to President Trump's decision to reduce the defence budget by eight percent annually. One consequence of these savings is cancelling the NGAS programme, which aimed to develop a future aerial tanker. The future of the NGAD initiative is also uncertain due to the predicted costs of sixth-generation aircraft.
