On September 29, the U.S. Navy signed a contract with Boeing worth more than $20 billion for the F/A-XX. The design is still classified, no specifications have been published and no real photograph exists. So why pay that much for a fighter that doesn't exist yet? And why did Boeing win with a jet it was already building for someone else? In this video we break down what full-scale development actually pays for, why the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet that flies from every American carrier today began life as a backup plan, and how the A-12 Avenger II, the stealth "Flying Dorito", was cancelled in 1991 before it ever flew. That failure still shapes how the Navy buys its next fighter. Do you think the F/A-XX will make it to the carrier deck, or will it end up like the A-12? Tell us in the comments. ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:26 Boeing f-a-xx 1:27 Boeing f-a-18e-f super hornet 2:39 Mcdonnell douglas a-12 avenger ii 3:52 Grumman f-14d tomcat 4:54 The ageing fleet 5:58 Lockheed martin f-35c lightning ii 7:13 The year it nearly died 8:17 Final thoughts 8:53 Boeing F-47 9:59 Final thoughts 10:52 Subscribe
Source: $20 Billion: Why the Navy Is Buying a Fighter That Doesn't Exist Yet
