Defence analysts on Monday predicted the US Navy would pick Lockheed Martin Corp over Boeing Co to build a successor to the Navy's ageing fleet of P-3 submarine-hunting aircraft.
Navy acquisitions chief John Young plans an announcement on the so-called Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft, or MMA, at 5 pm EDT (2100 GMT), the Navy said in a statement.
The initial development contract would be worth $3.5 billion to $3.9 billion, with potential longer-term value of $20 billion or more, according to industry insiders.
Loren Thompson, director of Virginia-based Lexington Institute, said the "weight of informed opinion seems to feel that Lockheed is going to prevail."
He said Lockheed, which built the Navy's current P-3, had an edge over Boeing because its airplane was a "known commodity that has functioned well in the past."
In addition, Lockheed was well-placed to accomplish certain classified missions required by the Navy, analysts said.