F/A-XX vs. NGAD: Should the U.S. Merge its Sixth-Generation Fighter Programs?

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Key Points and Summary: The U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter program is progressing, potentially replacing the F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.

-This advanced aircraft will feature enhanced stealth, AI integration, and drone teaming capabilities for increased combat effectiveness.

-While the Air Force’s NGAD fighter faces uncertainty, merging both programs could offer cost savings and streamlined development.

-With China and Russia pursuing their own next-generation fighters, the U.S. must prioritize developing advanced aircraft like the F/A-XX to maintain air superiority in the future.

While the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter is on hold until the incoming Trump defense team gives it the green or red light, the U.S. Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter program is forging ahead. It could replace two popular and ubiquitous warbirds in the Navy’s fleet. The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet will go away someday, as will the E/A-18G electronic warfare jet if the F/A-XX is successful.

Do We Have to Say Goodbye to the F/A-18 Super Hornet?

Meanwhile, there is good news for the F-35C naval variant. That fighter is expected to survive for the coming decades, but seeing the Super Hornet go away will be a shame. I was very impressed with the F/A-18 E/F in the movie Top Gun: Maverick, and I was blown away by a recent documentary on the Blue Angels – the Navy’s famous flight demonstration team. The Super Hornet appeared fast and agile with a great rate of climb and versatility when conducting such an intricate choreography of maneuvers for the Blue Angels.

No More Growler EW Bird

The EA-18G Growler electronic warfare bird has also enjoyed a long history of successful missions. It can jam and spoof any radar and communications systems with the best of them. However, the F/A-XX is billed to have excellent electronic warfare capabilities, so the EA-18G will not be needed.

The F/A-XX will set new records for the level of stealthiness. It will have artificial intelligence in the cockpit, and pilots can take advantage of all the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet has collected over the years. This data could be used to train an artificial intelligence large language model in which the aviator could ask questions in flight to better control the fighter. Think Apple’s Siri in the sky. Artificial intelligence could also allow pilots to control drones tethered to the F/A-XX. It can enable the craft to be re-fueled by stealth tankers to increase the level of radar evasion.

Close Air Support Will Be More Effective

The Loyal Wingman drones could take over the electronic warfare duties or fly forward of the F/A-XX to fire hypersonic missiles. At the same time, the crewed sixth-generation fighter can stay out of range of the enemy air defenses. These unmanned crafts could also conduct target acquisition for close air support to help the land warriors in “danger close” situations when the enemy endangers soldiers and marines.

You Can Upgrade It for Decades

Since the F/A-XX will be a “system of systems” with “open architecture, ” allowing it to be updated quickly as software configurations change over time, artificial intelligence will improve as technology matures. F/A-XX could be stealthier than the F-35C. Both airplanes used at once would overmatch the enemy when going up against fourth-generation or fourth-generation-plus airplanes.

NGAD Cancelled?

One problem with the F/A-XX is the difficulty the Air Force is having with the NGAD. This sixth-generation fighter could be on the chopping block. It is on operational pause until the Trump national security team decides its future. The NGAD could cost as much as $300 million per unit, and that could send the new Secretary of Defense and its underlings to cancel the Air Force’s sixth-generation effort.

Merge the F/A-XX and NGAD

One way to get around this problem is to combine the F/A-XX and the NGAD into one program. There would be a Naval and Air Force versions – like the F-35. This would decrease duplication of effort and redundancies in systems, plus save money. The NGAD also has plans to tether with drones and use artificial intelligence to grant pilots better situational awareness. Why not combine the two? This would make sense to Congressional cost cutters looking to make government more efficient and less wasteful.

F/A-XX Fighter for US Navy. Navy graphic mockup.

One thing is certain. The U.S. military needs a sixth-generation airplane – perhaps not two different models for each service branch – but one for sure. The Chinese have just sent their sixth-generation fighter on its maiden test flight. Russia is moving forward with its own next-generation MiG-41 PAK DP. The F-35 may be able to fly for the next several decades, but it could find itself outclassed by China and Russia in the 2030s. The Pentagon and Congress have some strategic and tactical questions to answer about the future of fighter jets, and combining the NGAD and the F/A-XX could be the answer to moving forward with a sixth-generation flight.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.