HMM: The YF-23 Black Widow II Could ‘Rescue’ The Navy’s F/A-XX Fighter.

The Navy’s F/A-XX fighter competition seeking to develop a sixth-generation stealth jet is caught in a tug-of-war between Congress and the Department of Defense. The latter wants to put the program on ice, while the former wants to fund the program (at least on a life-support level).

Caught in the crossfire are sixth-generation fighter designs proposed by Boeing and Northrop Grumman. In August, the corporations tantalized military aviation observers by releasing concept art—undoubtedly hoping to boost F/A-XX politically.

One shouldn’t assume too much from such graphics, given the Pentagon’s historical tendency to obfuscate concept art of advanced aircraft—or even mislead with it.

Still, the art (see below) gives the impression Boeing’s F/A-XX concept is inspired by its F-47 design currently being developed into a production model for the US Air Force. Meanwhile, Grumman’s artwork features elements harkening back to its legendary YF-23 ‘Black Widow’ prototype stealth jet.

There are plenty of folks who will tell you the Air Force should have chosen it over Lockheed’s YF-22 (now the F-22 Raptor) back in 1991.