Navy's Next-Gen Jet Ambitions Face Funding Turbulence

The U.S. Navy's effort to replace its venerable fleet of F/A-18 Super Hornets with next-generation stealth fighters has hit a wall, as major funding and strategic disagreements emerge involving Congress and the Trump administration. At the core of the dispute is the lucrative F/A-XX program.

The Navy wants to fast-track the contract award for this advanced aircraft, but Pentagon officials are proposing a significant delay, fearing issues with engineering and production capabilities. The winner of this colossal defense deal could earn hundreds of billions over the contract's lifespan, yet a three-year delay looms large, posing the prospect of contract expiration and renewed competition.

Without timely progress, the program risks diminishing U.S. naval air superiority, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, as China tests its sixth-generation fighters. Political wrangling over the program's funding and timeline continues, impacting not just U.S. defense readiness but global defense dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies.)