At the moment, the characteristics of the aircraft are unknown, but judging by the requested amounts, it is the main focus in the US Navy. It will allocate 5% of the total development budget.
The US Navy is requesting an additional $1.53 billion for fiscal year 2024 to support the development of the next-generation F/A-XX fighter. It is reported by The War Zone.
The publication emphasizes that this is the first time that the US Navy has openly requested a specific amount for the development of the largely classified F / A-XX fighter. At the moment, it is not known how much money has already been allocated for the development of a new fighter, however, based on the total research costs, about 5% will go exclusively to the F / A-XX program.
The US Navy is requesting $26.9 billion for research and development in fiscal year 2024. The publication compares that the F / A-XX fighter is asking for $ 1.5 billion, while the next generation attack submarine is $ 545 million, and the next generation destroyer is $ 187 million.
Key U.S. Navy Requests for Year 24 and Data for 2023 and 2022
Based on the indicators, the authors conclude that for the US Navy, the development of a new fighter is a central element of the near future. There are few details about what requirements the command lays down for the new aircraft. The F/A-XX is expected to be a component of a larger US Navy next-generation air dominance program.
The Navy Aviation Vision document notes that in some tasks the F / A-XX will become a replacement for the F / A-18E Super Hornet, and one of the functions will be the protection of drones when working in conjunction. The UAVs will carry ammunition, electronic warfare systems, as well as communication relay nodes.
Recall that in November 2021, the US Navy revealed the details of a 6th generation fighter that will be able to control a swarm of UAVs, as well as receive the latest long-range weapons.
On February 20, 2023, Lockheed Martin received a contract for the production of hypersonic missiles for the Zumwalt stealth destroyers.
