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Boeing wins Pentagon contract to build Navy’s F/A-XX fighter jet

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 8 outlets across the spectrum.

8 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

The Department of War and U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that Boeing has been selected to develop the F/A-XX, a sixth-generation carrier-based fighter, in a contract worth more than $20 billion. The jet is intended to eventually replace the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers and is expected to be ready in the 2030s. Boeing beat rival Northrop Grumman for the award, according to Bloomberg. It is Boeing’s second sixth-generation fighter contract in roughly a year, after the company was selected in 2025 to build the Air Force’s F-47. Boeing shares rose about 3% in premarket trading following the announcement.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Boeing was selected to develop the Navy’s F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter jet

    Reported byLeftCenterRight

  2. The contract is worth more than $20 billion

    Reported byCenterRight

  3. Boeing beat Northrop Grumman for the contract

    Reported byLeft

  4. The F/A-XX is intended to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler

    Reported byCenterRight

  5. Boeing shares rose about 3% in premarket trading after the announcement

    Reported byCenter

  6. This is Boeing’s second sixth-generation fighter contract after winning the Air Force’s F-47 program in 2025

    Reported byCenterRight

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    1 outlet

    Frames the award as a competitive win for Boeing over Northrop Grumman, emphasizing the corporate rivalry.

    Boeing Beats Northrop For Next Navy Jet Contract To Replace F-18
    BloombergLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    3 outlets

    Focuses on the business and market impact of the contract, especially Boeing’s stock reaction, alongside straightforward reporting of the award’s terms.

    Boeing was Sensational language“at risk of losing all fighter-jet production altogether”Presents a dramatic worst-case framing of Boeing's prior situation as settled fact in the headline without qualificationMore neutral: facing uncertainty over future fighter-jet contractsDisagree with this highlight?. Now the stock is up on a new Navy contract.
    MarketWatchCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    4 outlets

    Both outlets that ran the shared wire report and the Epoch Times emphasize the jet’s military capabilities and strategic significance, using dramatic language from officials about air dominance.

    Navy awards $20B contract to Boeing for next-generation strike fighter jet
    The Washington TimesRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center1

    at risk of losing all fighter-jet production altogether

  • Right1

    help American pilots dominate the skies, defeat enemies and come home safely

In the outlets’ own words

  • Vague attribution

    help American pilots dominate the skies, defeat enemies and come home safelyMore neutral: officials said the jet is designed to improve pilot survivability and combat effectiveness

    Attributes a sweeping characterization to unnamed 'officials' rather than a named source or documented capability

    …to build a new fighter jet that officials say will help American pilots dominate the skies, defeat enemies and come home safely.

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    at risk of losing all fighter-jet production altogetherMore neutral: facing uncertainty over future fighter-jet contracts

    Presents a dramatic worst-case framing of Boeing's prior situation as settled fact in the headline without qualification

    Boeing was at risk of losing all fighter-jet production altogether.

    Used byMarketWatch (Center)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    absolute air superiorityMore neutral: enhanced air combat capability

    Presents a dramatic claim of total dominance as the framing device without clarifying it is an official's characterization

    Boeing lands $20B-plus Navy deal for sixth-generation fighter to deliver ‘absolute air superiority’

    Quoted byFox News (Far Right)

    Inside a quotation: the outlets are reporting someone else’s words.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

1 outlet

Leads with

  • Boeing beating Northrop
  • corporate competition angle

Leaves out

  • contract value
  • specific replacement aircraft named

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the leftHide the headlines
  • BloombergLeft

    Boeing Beats Northrop For Next Navy Jet Contract To Replace F-18

    Boeing Co. beat Northrop Grumman Corp to produce the Navy’s next Top Gun fighter jet, the stealthy and still classified F/A-XX, the Pentagon announced today.

    Read at Bloomberg (opens in a new tab)

From the center

3 outlets

Leads with

  • contract value
  • stock price movement
  • Boeing’s broader fighter-jet business position

Leaves out

  • Boeing beating Northrop specifically

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • MarketWatchCenter

    Boeing was Sensational language“at risk of losing all fighter-jet production altogether”Presents a dramatic worst-case framing of Boeing's prior situation as settled fact in the headline without qualificationMore neutral: facing uncertainty over future fighter-jet contractsDisagree with this highlight?. Now the stock is up on a new Navy contract.

    Shares in the aerospace company rose close to 3% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the U.S. Navy selected it to develop its next-generation fighter jet.

    Read at MarketWatch (opens in a new tab)
  • CNBCCenter

    Boeing rises 3% after securing U.S. navy deal to develop next-generation fighter jet

    The Department of War and the U.S. Navy said Tuesday that it's chosen aircraft manufacturer Boeing to develop its next generation of fighter jets.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)
  • Financial TimesCenter

    Pentagon awards Boeing $20bn contract for Navy stealth fighter jet

    Virginia-headquartered company marks a revival of its role with the defence department

    Read at Financial Times (opens in a new tab)

From the right

4 outlets

Leads with

  • military capability and technology
  • official statements on strategic importance
  • contract scope and testing plans

Leaves out

  • Boeing beating Northrop specifically
  • stock market reaction

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 4 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Navy awards $20B contract to Boeing for next-generation strike fighter jet

    The Navy has awarded a more than $20 billion contract to Boeing to develop its sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter jet, Pentagon officials said.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Navy Awards Boeing $20 Billion Contract for Next-Generation Fighter

    The new jet is projected to be ready by the 2030s.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • Fox NewsFar Right

    Boeing lands $20B-plus Navy deal for sixth-generation fighter to deliver ‘Sensational language“absolute air superiority”Presents a dramatic claim of total dominance as the framing device without clarifying it is an official's characterizationMore neutral: enhanced air combat capabilityThis appears inside a quotation. The outlet is reporting someone else’s words.Disagree with this highlight?’

    Boeing's $20 billion F/A-XX contract marks the Navy's first sixth-generation fighter, designed to replace F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers.

    Read at Fox News (opens in a new tab)

    Also published by New York Post. It counts once.

  • New York PostRightFox News report

    Boeing lands $20B-plus Navy deal for sixth-generation fighter to deliver ‘absolute air superiority’

    New York Post published a report that is shown in full at Fox News.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Bloomberg, Sep 29, 5:38 PM EDT

  • Center

    2 hr 53 min later

    Its first report, Sep 29, 8:31 PM EDT

  • Right

    2 hr 39 min later

    Its first report, Sep 29, 8:17 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. BloombergLeftSep 29, 5:38 PM EDT
  2. Fox NewsFar RightSep 29, 8:17 PM EDT
  3. Financial TimesCenterSep 29, 8:31 PM EDT
  4. The Epoch TimesFar RightSep 29, 11:55 PM EDT
  5. New York PostRightSep 30, 3:14 AM EDT
  6. CNBCCenterSep 30, 4:19 AM EDT
  7. MarketWatchCenterSep 30, 6:38 AM EDT
  8. The Washington TimesRightSep 30, 9:19 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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