The US Navy's secretive F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter plane is a bit less secret after program competitor Northrop Grumman unveiled a new concept image of its version of the carrier-based warplane, giving us a few design clues.
Like the US Air Force, the Navy is keen on getting its hands on a sixth-gen fighter. However, due to the need for specialized carrier aircraft and good old-fashioned inter-service rivalry, the Navy would much rather have a dedicated aircraft of its own rather than a carrier variant of the planned F-47 NGAD.
It's a squabble that gets a lot of back channel chatter and the F/A-XX is often looked upon as the sacrificial lamb during defense budget talks as Congress questions whether America needs two advanced fighter aircraft in an age of budget cuts increasingly dominated by drone warfare.
Nevertheless, Northrop Grumman seems determined to show that it's still in the running against rival Boeing to secure the F/A-XX contract if it's finally approved.
The reason the Navy has given for the F/A-XX is that it has very different mission requirements from the Air Force. Aside from carrier operations, instead of concentrating on air superiority, the Navy prefers to deal in surface warfare, attacking ships and ground targets. In addition, the rising ambitions of China make longer-range fighters more suitable to operating in the Pacific Ocean.
The new image was posted without comment on the Naval Aviation section of the Northrop Grumman's website and shows the forward section of the concept F/A-XX on the ground. Though we can't see the wings or the aft section of the plane, we can make some deductions from the rendering.
First off, the lines of the concept are very similar to the Northrop Grumman YF-23 that the company is developing in competition for the Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter program. There's a sharp nose with a prominent chine blending the wings into the fuselage, which is optimized for stealth. This stealthiness is compounded by a top-mounted air intake, which is another indication of reducing the aircraft's sensor profile.
Along with this, the profile suggests a large interior volume for carrying more fuel, weapons, and other payloads. Also, there's a heavy-duty undercarriage with twin wheels, showing that it is designed for carrier operations where the fighter tends to land on the deck with a pretty hard thump.
The F/A-XX program is intended to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler sometime in the 2030s as a multi-role fighter that can operate in hostile territory. Though the specifications are still under wraps, the competition expects the winning design to have 25% more range than the F-35C, or about 837 nautical miles (964 miles, 1,551 km) and can aerial refuel from the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone.
Speed is also a bit vague, but it's supposed to be faster than current US combat aircraft. Other features include new sensors, advanced AI with advanced networking, and the ability to engage in manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) – more familiarly known as Loyal Wingmen.
If the program continues to be funded, a decision is expected by 2028.
Source: Northrop Grumman
