The United States Air Force has announced that the future of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet program will be decided by the incoming Trump administration. The Air Force is currently reconsidering the pursuit of a manned sixth-generation fighter and is focusing on developing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), or loyal wingman drones, as part of the broader initiative.
In a statement, the Air Force indicated it would defer decisions about the NGAD program until the new administration assumes office. Existing contracts for the program are being extended to “further mature designs/systems while ensuring the industry teams remain intact.” This was reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine with an official quote from the US Air Force: “The Secretary of the Air Force will defer the Next Generation Air Dominance way ahead decision to the next administration, while the Department of the Air Force continues its analysis and executes the necessary actions to ensure decision space remains intact for the NGAD program.”
Military contractors involved in this process have been asked to “update their proposals to account for delays resulting from the current pause [schedule/milestone update only].” Boeing and Lockheed Martin are expected to compete for this next-generation fighter project, whereas Northrop Grumman has opted not to bid directly but remains engaged as a subcontractor. Northrop Grumman is also pursuing involvement in developing a sixth-generation fighter for the Navy known as F/A-XX.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall recently implemented a “pause” on developing these advanced fighters, citing uncertainties about whether current requirements match future threat environments. He noted that predicting what these threats might look like decades from now presents significant challenges.
Amidst these developments, it’s uncertain how President Trump’s administration will approach decisions related to sixth-generation fighters. Trump has appointed Elon Musk to lead a new advisory commission called DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), tasked with identifying ways to reduce government expenses. Musk’s views on military aviation were highlighted when he retweeted footage from a drone show and commented critically on ongoing investments in manned fighters like F-35s.
Despite Musk’s comments, many experts defend the capabilities and cost-effectiveness of F-35 jets compared to other advanced aircraft options available today.
