US Navy Advances F/A-XX and Unmanned Vessel Programs; Pentagon Bolsters Tungsten Supply Chain

Recent developments have emerged in U.S. Navy equipment modernization and industrial supply chains.

F/A-XX: Boeing selected to build sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter

The U.S. Navy has officially selected Boeing to build its sixth-generation carrier-based strike fighter, dubbed F/A-XX.^[1][2]

Unmanned Surface Vessels: Three firms awarded contract for 30 MUSVs

The U.S. Navy announced it is awarding contracts to three defense companies to produce 30 medium unmanned surface vessels (MUSVs), at about $40 million per vessel.^[3]

Pentagon invests in tungsten supply chain

The Pentagon announced a $450 million investment in The Elmet Group to strengthen the U.S. supply chain for the critical mineral tungsten.^[4][5]

Ford's waste system draws cost scrutiny

A report headlined “$4,000,000 to Flush a Toilet on USS Gerald R. Ford? The Answer Is Yes” discussed the vacuum sewage system on the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford. The report said the VCHT system replaced the gravity sewage piping the U.S. Navy had used since the age of sail: the pipes are narrower, use less fresh water, include bends where waste previously dropped straight down, and multiple decks share a single pressurized line. The report noted that the last point is the problem—in a gravity system, a clog affects one or two toilets, while in an interconnected vacuum system, a clog affects a quarter of the ship's toilets. The low water volume also allows calcium to accumulate in the pipes, requiring acid dissolution in port at about $400,000 each time.^[6]