US Navy Quietly Starts Development of Next-Gen Carrier Fighter

Navy Quietly Starts Development of Next-Generation Carrier Fighter; Plans Call for Manned, Long-Range Aircraft (excerpt)

(Source: USNI News; posted August 18, updated August 19, 2020)

By Mallory Shelbourne

Although the US Navy has been talking about its next-generation fighter for a couple of years, the recent establishment of a Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program office at Navair is the initial milestone for the program. (Boeing image)

first new carrier-based fighter in almost 20 years, standing up a new program office and holding early discussions with industry, USNI News has learned.

The multi-billion-dollar effort to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and electronic attack EA-18G Growlers beginning in the 2030s is taking early steps to quickly develop a new manned fighter to extend the reach of the carrier air wing and bring new relevance to the Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Navy acquisition chief James Geurts told reporters last week that the service created a program office for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative. “We’re working to outline that program and the acquisition approach and all that as we speak,” Geurts said.

Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) recent establishment of the NGAD program office comes as the Pentagon faces a constrained budget environment while trying to adjust to a new defense strategy focused on combatting Russian and Chinese threats in the Indo-Pacific theater. (end of excerpt)

Click here for the full story, on the USNI website.

-ends-

Let's block ads! (Why?)

from Defense Aerospace - Press releases https://ift.tt/32cJcfp
via Defense