Pentagon urged to maintain pace with advanced engine technology, as called for by GE
News Article: F/A-XX Fighter Program Faces Challenges Amid Funding Competition
The F/A-XX fighter program, designed to develop a sixth-generation carrier-based fighter jet for the U.S. Navy, is currently facing a series of challenges. The program, intended to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, is underfunded and has effectively been put on hold by the Pentagon.
Congress, particularly the Senate Appropriations Committee, has taken a different stance. They have proposed a draft defense spending bill that includes $1.4 billion in funding for the F/A-XX program, aiming to ensure its continuation and allow for the awarding of industry contracts. This move reflects a conflict between the Navy’s interests and the Pentagon’s leadership regarding the program’s fate.
The main reason for the F/A-XX's precarious state is a funding competition with the U.S. Air Force's F-47 sixth-generation fighter program, which is receiving significantly higher funding following a presidential decision to focus industrial and engineering resources solely on the F-47.
GE Aerospace CEO H. Lawrence Culp is urging the Pentagon to proceed with the Navy F/A-XX fighter program, arguing that it will further the development of adaptive engine technology, a crucial component of next-generation fighter aircraft. GE and Pratt & Whitney have matching $3.5 billion contracts to develop the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program, which is intended to power the F/A-XX and the Navy's F-47.
The NGAP development effort, originally planned to complete in late 2027, is now expected to equip the F-47 in mid-2030 due to supply chain issues. GE and Pratt & Whitney claim they can deliver NGAP engines on the originally planned timeline.
The White House has expressed concerns about the availability of engineering talent to develop both the F/A-XX and the F-47 concurrently. Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet suggests using a souped-up F-35 as a bridge to the new fighter, as the F-47 may not be ready for five to 10 years.
The Navy has included the F/A-XX in its annual Unfunded Priorities List, requesting $1.4 billion. The Global Combat Air Program's next-gen indigenous European fighter is targeting 2035 as its service date. GE represents Italy as an equal propulsion partner in the Global Combat Air Program.
GE has made significant investments in test infrastructure at select manufacturing sites, enabling higher mission-relevant testing in the hypersonic arena. Adaptive engine technology offers more acceleration for fighter maneuvers and reduced fuel consumption in cruise or loiter modes.
In summary, the F/A-XX program is currently underfunded and stalled, waiting for a clearer path forward amid competing priorities. Congressional efforts are aimed at reviving and accelerating it, but administration priorities and industrial limitations remain significant hurdles. The NGAP program’s status cannot be specifically determined from current sources but likely faces similar developmental challenges tied to funding and integration with next-generation fighter projects.
- The Pentagon, despite putting the F/A-XX fighter program on hold due to its underfunded state, could potentially be persuaded to proceed with the program, as argued by GE Aerospace CEO H. Lawrence Culp, who believes it will advance adaptive engine technology.
- The U.S. Air Force's F-47 sixth-generation fighter program is receiving higher funding, leading to a funding competition with the F/A-XX program, causing its precarious state.
- Congress, aiming to ensure the continuation of the F/A-XX program, has proposed a draft defense spending bill that includes $1.4 billion in funding for the program.
- GE Aerospace, as an equal propulsion partner in the Global Combat Air Program's next-gen indigenous European fighter, has made significant investments in test infrastructure at select manufacturing sites, enabling higher mission-relevant testing in the hypersonic arena.
- The White House has expressed concerns about the availability of engineering talent to develop both the F/A-XX and the F-47 concurrently, which could pose a significant hurdle for both programs in the future.
