The US Air Force wants to commission a new fighter- invisible, and competition for obtaining a tender for its production is intensifying. According to available data, there will be a choice between two general contractors or groups of contractors. Interestingly, however, there were originally 3 options. A decision in this competition will probably not be made until next year.
One candidate has already dropped out
At least 3 demonstration aircraft were built for the NGAD program. There were 3 main contractors or groups, one of which had already dropped out. We are talking about Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The companies are well-established fighter aircraft manufacturers and were presented as potential contractors ahead of the launch of the NGAD program.
F-22 successor 
photo: military.com
It is not uncommon for 2 teams to compete for a 6th generation fighter. Already in the Joint Strike Fighter program, from which today's F-35 stealth aircraft emerged, there were also 2 projects from Boeing and Lockheed Martin, with the latter retaining the advantage.
The fighter from the NGAD program is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor in the future. Technical and programmatic details of the program are classified to protect technological advantages. Developers want to rely on the «open architecture standard.» However, it is known that at least one demonstration aircraft was already in the air. It may well be that these are simply machines that are used to test subsystems and technologies.
The NGAD fighter may be the last manned US fighter before a full transition to unmanned combat aircraft. The aircraft will certainly be extremely powerful and also very expensive.
The aircraft will be equipped with various technologies, including new stealth systems and “spectral warfare” systems. These systems target electromagnetic signals from computer networks, sensors, radios, radar systems, etc. to disrupt or disable them. The development of the NGAD aircraft focused on range and payload. Both factors may be of particular importance in future conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region.
200 fighters and 1,000 drones 
photo: nationalinterest.org
The winner of the competition must build about 200 fighters, which can be accompanied by a total of 1,000 drones. However, all is not lost for a company that cannot assert itself in the competition. Each NGAD aircraft contains many subsystems produced by firms of varying sizes. It is also possible that the production of components for the fighter will be carried out by one of the applicants who dropped out of the tender.
The US Air Force has a very busy schedule. Contracts will not be signed until next year, and the entry into service of the stealth aircraft is scheduled for the early 1930s. Meanwhile, the US Navy is also looking for a manufacturer of a new 6th generation fighter. The plane, known as the F/A-XX, is expected to cost $9 billion to develop by 2028. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are also among the favorites.
