Скачать или смотреть US Navy’s Secretive FA-47 Next Generation Fighter Program Part 2

Congress has officially moved to grant "full funding" to the U.S. Navy’s secretive F/A-47 next-generation fighter program. However, the victory for naval aviation comes with a significant legislative "catch" that could redefine how the military develops future stealth technology.
As of late December 2025, the F/A-XX program—the planned successor to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet—was teetering on the brink of being "put on ice." The Pentagon had proposed a massive funding pause to divert resources toward the Air Force’s newly designated F-47 fighter (part of the NGAD program). Now, a bipartisan coalition in Congress has stepped in to stop that freeze, citing the "looming and existential" threat of a high-end conflict in the Pacific.
The "Limbo" Crisis: Navy vs. Air Force
The controversy began earlier this year when the Department of Defense signaled a pivot toward the Air Force’s land-based stealth platforms. The move shocked naval planners, as the F/A-XX is intended to be the centerpiece of the "Golden Fleet’s" carrier wings, designed to fly further and carry more missiles than the current F-35C.
Critics of the pause argued that abandoning the F/A-XX would leave U.S. aircraft carriers vulnerable to China’s "carrier-killer" missiles, as the current fleet lacks the range to strike from outside the enemy’s engagement zone.
The "Catch": Transparency and Commonality
While Congress has restored the billions required to keep the program on track, the funding is tied to a strict set of "fencing" requirements. The catch is twofold:

Mandatory Engine Synergy: The Navy is now legally required to align its propulsion development with the Air Force’s Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program. Congress is refusing to fund two separate, multi-billion dollar engine programs, forcing the services to share a common "heart" for their respective jets.
The "60-Day Review" Trigger: Funding will be released in quarterly increments, but only if the Navy can prove it has finalized the "collaborative combat aircraft" (CCA) interface. Essentially, Congress is demanding that the F/A-XX must be able to command the same drones (like the YFQ-48A Talon) as the Air Force's F-47.