The US Navy and Air Force have evolved into a pair of sixth-generation warrior plans, with the original company moving forward with its F/A-XX and the latter with its NGAD. The conflicting viewpoints raise concerns about the companies ‘ ability to cooperate in the future and the US’s ability to maintain air supremacy in a conflict with China.
Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the US’s Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, is in the running to honor an F/A-XX deal quickly with security companies Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman all in the pipeline.
The F/A-XX aims to overcome and change the F/A-18 Super Hornet and E/A-18 Growler with superior sensors, mortality, variety and integration with robotic systems. The warrior is anticipated to start operating in the 2030s, according to a document from Air &, Space Forces Magazine.
At the same time, the Air Force’s greatly anticipated sixth-generation NGAD, designed to replace the F-22 Raptor, faces possible budget reductions, with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall reportedly seeking a more affordable design, the same news report said.
Both organizations ‘ potential aircraft plans should be aligned in order to ensure complementary skills, according to the Air &, Space Forces Magazine statement. But while the US Air Force’s NGAD and US Navy’s F/A-XX improve autonomous integration and new technology, they each face different challenges due to different priorities.
In a December 2023 article for The National Interest, Maya Carlin notes that the US Air Force’s NGAD project, rooted in 2014 DARPA studies, aims to replace the F-22 Raptor with a fleet of 200 stealth jets and 1, 000 unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs ) designed as “loyal wingmen”. The UAVs are less survivable but many and intended to destroy enemies, including China’s then larger heat ship.
In line with Kendall’s search for a more economical NGAD option, Asia Times reported in August 2024 that the US Air Force is considering revising its light warrior strategy to target the NGAD’s cost issues. This idea, resembling a scaled-down F-35, emphasizes flexible, software-centric aircraft over conventional hardware-focused techniques.
The growth comes in response to rising condemnation of the NGAD project, which has been estimated to cost roughly US$ 250 million for each sixth-generation secrecy jet. The mild fighter idea aims to strike a balance between high-end capabilities and cost-effective strategies to combat fast changing new threats.
For the US Navy’s F/A-XX, Carlin notes it is designed to remove the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers by the 2030s, probably employing drones and advanced cunning features.
In March 2023, Asia Times mentioned that the F/A-XX is expected to have advanced technology such as compact style, AI and aircraft swarms and may serve as a “quarterback” in manned-unmanned pairing operations.
This growth is a reaction to China’s progress in fighter jet systems, including the J-31/FC-31 and the J-20, which may function as a foundation for China’s sixth-generation warrior.
The F/A-XX is a significant advancement in the US-China air power rivalry, particularly in the Pacific region, where vast distances challenge the operational range of current US carrier-based fighters. The F/A-XX aims to address these issues and keep US air superior in upcoming conflicts.
Carlin notes that programs emphasize stealth, supermaneuverability, and digital designs, reflecting a shift towards unmanned operations influenced by recent conflicts. She mentions how the US aims to maintain its air superiority through technological advancements, anticipating less dogfighting as a result of long-range weapons and advanced sensors.
As China develops its next-generation airframes, the US military’s focus on quantity and advanced capabilities underscores the strategic importance of these programs in future conflicts, Carlin says.
While both programs share similarities, such as the teaming of manned and unmanned systems, the NGAD is more focused on multi-domain operations involving long-range, land-based missions, whereas the Navy’s F/A-XX emphasizes naval-specific needs, such as carrier compatibility and extended strike ranges over large maritime areas.
However, conflicting budget priorities might keep the US Navy’s next-gen fighter plans on the ground. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned that funding a second Virginia-class submarine in the fiscal year 2025 defense budget would threaten the F/A-XX program in a recent letter to the House and Senate Armed Services committees.
According to USNI, Austin’s letter emphasized that adding a second submarine would necessitate a US$ 400 million cut from the NGAD program, rendering it “unexecutable” and impairing the US Navy’s future aircraft capabilities.
USNI claims that the US Department of Defense ( DOD ) has suggested a single submarine and an$ 8.8 billion investment in the submarine industrial base over the next five years, a change from its previous requests for two submarines annually.
The future of air superiority may lie in developing new technologies and novel ideas for air superiority, not expensive sixth-generation fighters, as the US Navy and US Air Force are mulling over how to speed up their respective next-generation fighter programs.
In May 2024, Asia Times reported that the US military should prioritize more affordable unmanned systems and space-based weapons platforms, which are more appropriate for upcoming strategic requirements, over investing in sixth-generation and beyond fighter jets.
The US’s military competitiveness in comparison to China may also be impeded by investing in overly complex and expensive warplanes. For example, the US Air Force stopped producing the F-22 in , favor of the F-35, which is less suitable for air superiority missions.
In response, the US may take into account alternative theories of air superiority for upcoming conflicts. Peter Porkka and Vilho Rantanen argue in a September 2024 War on the Rocks  , article , that the traditional goal of achieving air superiority is unrealistic and costly, especially in near-peer great power conflicts.
Porkka and Rantanen draw lessons from the ongoing Ukraine war and highlight the difficulties faced by contemporary integrated air defenses and the difficulties for air forces to defeat these defenses on a global scale. They emphasize a shift away from air superiority toward developing capabilities that support joint operations in tense airspaces.
Porkka and Rantanen advocate using alternative methods, such as long-range fires, drones and space-based capabilities that , can achieve similar effects with lower risks and costs.
They urge military leaders to adopt a more realistic and flexible approach to airpower, acknowledging the complexity of contemporary warfare and the need for a plan B in the face of increasingly skilled adversaries.