Three models of the Navy’s F/A-XX sixth generation fighter and two of the US Air Force’s NGAD. What does this mean;

If you believe the “Sixth Generation Fighter” of the US Air Force (and we put this in quotes because there was never such a program officially), the now famous “System of Systems” Najad (Next Generation Air Dominance), which will replace the F-22 in a role of not just air superiority, but air dominance, is classified as classified, so what about the US Navy equivalent.

This program, unlike the USAF’s NGAD program which began to unravel over the past two years, did not even have a name. Intended to succeed the F/A-18E/F and coexist with the F-35C, it indicated Either as NATF (Naval Advanced Tactical Fighter), when the ATF existed, or – created later – as F/A-XX.

A small crack in the tightly sealed program opened on August 26, 2023, when it was announced that Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman would compete for the plane and GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney for the engines.

Recall that last May it was announced that Boeing and Lockheed Martin are the two companies that will participate in the prime contractor selection process, while Northrop Grumman has already announced that it will not pursue a project in this direction.

On the other hand, there is an opinion that the Pentagon is pursuing the next two fighter programs for the US Navy and the US Air Force. Not only do they go side by side, they are versions of the same basic designBut this is not consistent with the development mentioned above. That is, potential NGAD contractors do not “click” with the three at F/A-XX.

In addition, there is also a portion of space observers who consider that “system of systems” Najad It may not have anything to do with the depiction of the futuristic fighters we’ve seen so far. They argue that it may be a large manned “mother” aircraft, perhaps a B-21, which would serve as an “arsenal aircraft” and cooperate with CCAs (Cooperative Combat Aircraft).

But such an aircraft could operate from land bases, but not from aircraft carriers, and the presence of the three contractor candidates for the F/A-XX, which will eventually be a completely separate program, may be an indication of this.

In the September 2023 “journey”, which will be with you early next week, there is a full analysis of what we know (and what we don’t know) today about NGAD and its possible relationship to F/A – the 20th.