The US Navy is both a navy and an air force (it operates the most powerful navy in the world and arguably the second most powerful air force). Both its ships and its aircraft cost vast amounts of money and the US Navy does not have all the money it would like. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned in a letter addressed to the leader of the armed services committees that if the Navy chooses to fund a second Virginia-class submarine, it will delay the development of the Navy's F/A-XX sixth generation fighter jet .
Just days ago, the Navy stated that the sixth generation F/A-XX fighter jet remains a priority . Virginia class submarine vs developing F/A-XX fighter jet The Virginia-class is the Navy's newest class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast attack submarine replacing the older Los Angeles class submarine. The Navy plans to eventually procure 66 of the boats, and it would like to procure them at a rate of two per year.
However, the funds for two per year are not forthcoming, and the Navy may have to procure only one this year. Now, the Defense Secretary said that the Navy may be forced to choose between procuring the second boat and delaying the F/A-XX or processing ahead with the F/A-XX and only having funding for one boat in FY 2025. “Adding a second submarine would require the Department to reduce the Next Generation Fighter program by $400 million, making the fighter program unexecutable and degrading the Navy’s ability to field next generation aircraft capa.
