Stavatti Aerospace has put forward an alternative vision for the US Navy’s Next Carrier Air Dominance (NCAD) program, presenting a new aircraft concept aimed at replacing the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in the 2030s.
Dubbed SM-39 Razor, the aircraft features a low-observable triple-fuselage layout, a configuration intended to help limit wave drag during sustained supersonic flight.
It can reportedly reach Mach 4 (4,900 kilometers/3,050 miles per hour) and supercruise at above Mach 2.5 (3,060 kilometers/1,900 miles per hour).
According to the company, the aircraft is compatible with a range of directed-energy weapons, including systems currently under development by Northrop Grumman.
The SM-39 will be offered in three versions: single-seat, tandem seat, and fully autonomous, all built around a modular cockpit that supports manned and unmanned operations.
Its central fuselage houses the primary avionics suite, which includes an active electronically scanned array radar from Raytheon, nose landing gear, and two internal weapons bays.
Propulsion comes from a twin-engine setup blending advanced designs from General Electric and Stavatti’s NeoThrust E1400 line.
Roadmap and Scale
The SM-39 unveiling comes after the reported release of NCAD program assumptions earlier this month, which outlined the proposed scale and structure of the effort.
Plans envision a minimum fleet of 600 aircraft, priced at $85 million each, totaling roughly $51 billion.
Aircraft deliveries are projected between 2031 and 2037, accompanied by 50 mission simulators to support pilot and operator training.
Anticipating future demand, Stavatti has detailed plans for a new US-based production facility capable of building up to 200 aircraft per year and sustaining around 1,600 skilled jobs over two decades.
