Carrier strike fighter F/A-18 procurement: ~$7.25B — the Navy's award to Boeing for the carrier's mainstay aircraft (USAspending)
Per USAspending, the U.S. Navy awarded procurement of the carrier-based strike fighter "F/A-18" to Boeing. The value is about $7.25 billion ($7,246,510,578), a definitive contract running December 2008–October 2022. A multi-role aircraft that launches from carriers and handles air superiority through strikes on land and ships, it has long been the mainstay of the Navy's carrier strike groups.
Contract key facts
- RecipientBoeing
- Contract value$7,246,510,578 (≈$7.25B)
- BranchNavy
- Awarding agencyDepartment of Defense
- Awarding sub-agencyDepartment of the Navy
- Award typeDEFINITIVE CONTRACT
- Period of performance2008-12-04 〜 2022-10-31
- Contract ID (PIID)N0001909C0019
Contract scope (original)
F/A-18 AIRCRAFT
Key points
- The Navy awarded procurement of the carrier strike fighter F/A-18 to Boeing. Cumulative ~$7.25B ($7,246,510,578).
- Definitive contract, performance December 4, 2008 – October 31, 2022.
- "F/A" means both Fighter and Attack — a multi-role aircraft.
- With CVN-78 carrier and E-2D early-warning aircraft, the F/A-18 is the "fist that fights from the carrier."
- A carrier strike group functions when vessel (carrier), eyes (E-2D), and fist (F/A-18) come together.
The designation "F/A" means both Fighter and Attack. The F/A-18 is a multi-role aircraft that handles air combat (air superiority) as well as strikes on land and ships; the flexibility of one airframe taking on multiple roles is a major value for a Navy that wants to limit aircraft types on a carrier's limited deck.
Together with the CVN-78 carrier and E-2D early-warning aircraft covered separately on this site, it becomes clear that this aircraft is the "fist that fights from the carrier."
This contract covers procurement of that F/A-18. A carrier strike group functions only when the vessel (the carrier), the eyes (E-2D), and the fist (F/A-18) come together — the contracts are separate, but reading across the spending data reveals the whole picture. A cumulative ~$7.25B from 2008 to 2022 shows continuous procurement of the mainstay carrier aircraft.
The description (USAspending) goes as far as "F/A-18 aircraft" and does not detail the specific variant (E, F, etc.) or airframe-count breakdown (this site does not fill in what the description omits). What can be read is that the Navy has poured vast sums over many years into the multi-role carrier aircraft at the core of a carrier's combat power.
Why it matters
The multi-role carrier aircraft F/A-18 is at the core of a carrier strike group's combat power, procured continuously by the Navy over many years. Because a strike group functions only by combining the carrier (CVN-78), early-warning aircraft (E-2D), and carrier aircraft (F/A-18), reading spending data across categories yields the full picture of naval air power. Useful to readers tracking the defense industry and security.
FAQ
What data is this?
Is the amount final?
What does "F/A" mean?
Sources (primary)
This article is an independent organization based on the U.S. official spending data below. Verify the exact, latest details with the official source.
- USAspending (award details)
- Contract ID (PIID)：N0001909C0019