Boeing has secured the US Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter development contract, defeating Northrop Grumman in a competition delayed by funding, engineering and supply-chain concerns. The Department of Defense described the deal as worth more than US$20 billion; earlier coverage characterized it as worth up to US$20 billion. The programme is intended to replace the Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets in the 2030s and operate alongside Lockheed Martin's F-35C. Boeing's selection follows its 2025 win for the US Air Force's F-47 programme, making it the developer of both US crewed sixth-generation fighter efforts. The award provides a boost to Boeing's defense business, but investors are awaiting the result of an engineering and technical employee union contract vote and further details on a newly disclosed software issue affecting certain automated landing procedures. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was awaiting certification of the 737 Max 10 while examining whether the issue poses a safety concern. Boeing shares briefly rose nearly 3% to US$192.99 on Wednesday before turning lower, leaving them down roughly 1% for the session and more than 22% below their Aug. 5 close.