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Lockheed Martin and Boeing are poised for a head-to-head competition as the service prepares to award the contract for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform.
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The NGAD is envisioned as a family of systems comprising a crewed sixth-generation fighter aircraft, drone wingmen also referred to as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), advanced sensor capabilities, and superior network connectivity to satellites and other assets.
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The classified solicitation for NGAD’s engineering and manufacturing development contract was initiated in May, signaling the formal commencement of the selection process.
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As a futuristic endeavor intended to replace the venerable F-22 Raptor, the Air Force aims for the NGAD to be operational by the decade’s end.
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Emphasizing open-architecture standards, the NGAD is designed to exploit competitive dynamics over its life cycle and curtail maintenance and support expenditures.
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The NGAD program’s intricate details have been tightly guarded due to security concerns.
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Notably, in a significant industry shift, Northrop Grumman withdrew from the NGAD competition in 2023, focusing instead on the Navy’s variant, dubbed the F/A-XX.
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Northrop’s CEO, Kathy Warden, indicated the company’s strategy in a July earnings call.
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Consequently, the Air Force’s procurement path is projected to see Lockheed Martin and Boeing as the main contenders.
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The NGAD’s propulsion technology, referred to as Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP), is another focal area with the Air Force planning a substantial budgetary injection in 2024.
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NGAP, with its adaptive capabilities, is positioned to transition rapidly to the optimal engine configuration for varied flight conditions.
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Featuring advanced composites capable of enduring high temperatures, NGAP draws on research initially considered for the F-35.
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The substantial investment increase in NGAP, to the tune of $595 million requested for the fiscal year 2024, underscores its centrality to NGAD’s performance.
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In parallel, Pratt & Whitney, an RTX subsidiary, has achieved a milestone with the Air Force’s critical design review for its NGAD engine.
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The prototypical XA103 engine is on track for ground testing in the late 2020s.