The sixth-generation fighter jet F/A-XX, which is being developed by the US Navy, came to the fore with the striking statements made by the service's air warfare division director, Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly. Donnelly stated that the F/A-XX may be the last manned tactical fighter jet used operationally by the Navy, signaling that in the future air warfare may evolve into a structure based on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.
F/A-XX: Artificial Intelligence and Increased Battlefield Awareness
Rear Admiral Donnelly, in his presentation at the Navy Association’s Naval Air Space conference, stated that the F/A-XX will be equipped with groundbreaking capabilities and technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). It was emphasized that this integration will provide pilots with greater battlespace awareness and significantly improve naval aviators’ decision-making processes. With features such as advanced sensor fusion, automatic target recognition and intelligent mission management, the F/A-XX aims to provide superior operational effectiveness in complex and dynamic combat environments.
New Era of Cooperation between Manned and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
These technological advances in the F/A-XX could usher in a new era of Navy air operations. In the future, piloted fighter jets and AI-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to work much more closely together. What the Navy calls “cooperative fighter jets,” AI-controlled UAVs or future larger unmanned platforms, have the potential to multiply the effectiveness of airpower by operating synergistically with manned aircraft.
Moving from “Man in the Loop” to “AI in the Loop”
Rear Admiral Donnelly’s statement that “This may be the last tactical manned fighter aircraft we operate outside the Navy” carries important clues about the concept of future air warfare. Donnelly predicts that in future scenarios, humans may become “AI in the loop” rather than “man in the loop”, overseeing and guiding the decision-making processes of AI systems. By the 2040s, the “hybrid air wing” concept, which includes the full integration of crewed and uncrewed platforms, is aimed to be implemented.
F/A-XX's Superior Range and Advantage Against Competitive Threats
Donnelly said the F/A-XX will enable the Navy to operate in challenging operational environments beyond its current fighter jets and provide decisive superiority over potential adversaries. Considering that the current F/A-18 Super Hornet has a combat range of approximately 1.275 nautical miles and the carrier-based F-35C Joint Strike Fighter has a combat range of more than 1.200 nautical miles, the F/A-XX is expected to be able to fly 25 percent further than those ranges without refueling. Donnelly emphasized that this capability is a key requirement for the F/A-XX, and that with refueling, its range could theoretically be unlimited.
Competing Tenders and Upcoming Announcements
Navy officials have not given a specific date for when an official announcement will be made regarding the F/A-XX, but it is expected to happen soon. The Navy’s F/A-XX program is also closely followed by the Air Force’s similar sixth-generation fighter jet project, the Boeing-made F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet. According to Breaking Defense, Lockheed Martin’s withdrawal from the F/A-XX tender leaves Boeing and Northrop Grumman in the competition. The Navy’s choice and the F/A-XX’s final specifications will profoundly affect the future air superiority concept.
