While the budget that the Pentagon plans to allocate to the US Air Force for fiscal year 2027 exceeds $317 billion, experts argue that the limited increase in fighter aircraft procurement represents “a missed historic opportunity.”
According to the budget proposal prepared by the US Department of Defense, the Air Force budget will increase by approximately 22 percent compared to 2026, rising from $260 billion to over $317 billion.
The new budget covers personnel expenses, operations and maintenance, procurement, research and development, and military construction, with the largest increases expected in operations, missile procurement, and R&D.
Fighter Jet Purchases Below Expectations
Despite the increase in the budget, the limited number of fighter jet purchases drew attention. In 2027, the US Air Force plans to procure:
- 38 F-35A aircraft
- 24 F-15EX aircraft, for a total of 62 new fighter jets.
This figure falls short of the annual target of 72 aircraft deemed necessary for fleet modernisation. Procurement of the KC-46A Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft has been kept steady at 15 units.
Strong Criticism from Experts
An expert close to air force matters stated that despite the budget increase, insufficient steps were taken in aircraft procurement, describing it as a long-term missed opportunity.
In the assessment, it was emphasised that multi-year procurement opportunities were not sufficiently utilised and that the current funding environment should be leveraged for more aggressive modernisation.
Billions of Dollars for Next-Generation Programmes
The budget proposal foresees significant allocations for some critical projects:
- F-47 (6th generation fighter aircraft): $5 billion
- Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA): $2.4 billion (total)
- T-7 Red Hawk trainer aircraft: $529 million
- Hypersonic missile programmes: $1.7 billion
These increases indicate that the US continues to invest in future air combat concepts.
Notable Increase in Hypersonic Weapons
There has been a significant increase in the budget allocated to the AGM-183A ARRW and HACM hypersonic missile programmes. In particular, the strengthening of the ARRW programme, which had previously faced the risk of cancellation, drew attention.
Decline in Nuclear Programmes
On the other hand, a decrease in funding stands out in some critical nuclear modernisation projects:
- B-21 Raider: Decrease in total funding without additional acceleration funds
- LGM-35A Sentinel: Decline in both R&D and procurement budgets
Experts note that the reduction in funding for these two programmes may pose strategic risks.
Although the Pentagon’s 2027 budget proposal indicates a significant overall increase, it continues to generate debate, particularly due to the limited allocation of resources for fighter aircraft procurement and certain strategic programmes.
