According to Reuters, defense officials and industry executives said financial pressures, competing priorities and shifting goals could cause the NGAD program to become less ambitious than originally planned.
When first formed, the NGAD program was expected to revolve around a sixth-generation fighter, aiming to replace the F-22 Raptor and provide the US with the most powerful weapon in the sky in the 21st century.
Advanced features such as superior stealth, laser weapons and artificial intelligence are integrated to process huge amounts of data from the latest sensor technology. However, with the current development budget only reaching 28.5 billion USD over 5 years, ending in 2029, the program may have to extend the development time or scale back expected features.
According to sources, the expected NGAD budget for fiscal year 2026 of $3.1 billion may be cut due to shrinking funding sources. Another source said the budget taper could extend the development period by another two years.
While the overall cost of the program is unclear, it could be more than $100 billion if 200 aircraft are produced, including initial costs as well as maintenance and upgrades over time. Currently, the US Air Force operates 185 F-22s, and NGAD is designed to replace these aircraft.
One of the big changes being considered is a move from twin-engine aircraft designs to a larger single engine, or even shifting more funding to less expensive drones.
US Air Force chief Frank Kendall said: "NGAD was conceived in response to a number of current issues such as increased threats, the emergence of the CCA drone program and capability issues." pay". He emphasized that before committing to the 2026 budget, the US Air Force wants to make sure they are on the right track.
Budget pressures have also forced the Air Force to reassess spending priorities on other modernization efforts, including increased production of new B-21 bombers made by Northrop Grumman. For example, its Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program has grown 81% over budget, to about $141 billion.
Meanwhile, aerospace and defense companies such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing have responded to the US Air Force's request for NGAD system proposals.
However, these companies are also facing great pressure due to conflicts in Ukraine and Israel, increasing demand for weapons and military equipment. NGAD is one of the major potential programs that many hope will turn a profit in the coming years.
A spokesman for the US Air Force said that the 2026 fiscal budget is being developed and will be announced early next year. Meanwhile, representatives of Boeing and Lockheed Martin declined to comment on NGAD.
One of the other key elements from this restructuring is the ability to shift capital to drone development through the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative.
The development of less expensive drone platforms, designed to operate alongside mainline jets, could help address the cost issue and ensure effective combat capabilities in the future .
