A separate Navy contract for its version of the NGAD fighter is still under competition between Northrop Grumman and Boeing.

Boeing will spearhead development of the U.S. Air Force's futuristic fighter and drone coordinator, the F-47, following a secretive competition and fits and starts within the service. Why it matters: The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) effort is meant to succeed the F-22 and be a linchpin for collaborative combat aircraft (CCA).

Boeing has been awarded the contract to build the U.S. Air Force's most sophisticated fighter jet yet, dubbed the F-47, beating out competition from Lockheed Martin for a program worth more than $20 billion.