The largest defense budget request in US history, nearly $500 billion more than in 2026, would mean an accelerated acquisition of key platforms and increased funding for major projects like the Golden Dome.
The Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2027 budget request was unveiled during a press conference at the Pentagon on April 21, 2026, led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Accusing previous administrations of underfunding the US military – which is already funded by a budget that represents more than a third of all military spending worldwide – Hegseth said “Previous administrations underinvested in our military as our enemies grew stronger and more dangerous, so now we are changing the game. This budget builds this arsenal without compromising the readiness that will ensure we remain the world’s premier fighting force, protect the homeland, and create peace through strength now and in the future.”
The Pentagon revealed more details of President Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget request for fiscal year 2027, by far the largest year-over-year increase in defense spending in the post-World War II era. https://t.co/bRJKYx7Vgr
-Reuters (@Reuters) April 21, 2026
In the official Pentagon press release, the Department states that about 52% of the fiscal year 2027 budget request is dedicated to the acquisition of new equipment and ammunition. The total requested spending represents a 42% increase over the fiscal year 2026 budget.
Below we will take a look at some of the aviation-related parts of the proposal.
air power
$102.2 billion of the request is focused on airpower, with investments in fourth, fifth and sixth generation fighter jets, as well as a wide range of support platforms.
The biggest boost compared to 2026 is for the F-35 Lightning II, as last year’s order for 47 airframes nearly doubled to 85. This represents $21.4 billion of investment and includes all three variants of the aircraft. The extensive use of the F-35 and its apparent strong performance in Operation Epic Fury, Operation Southern Spear and Operation Absolute Resolve have likely reinforced desires to accelerate acquisitions and supplant legacy aircraft types such as the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
For the US Air Force, the budget includes 38 F-35As. 37 new F-35Cs are planned for carrier operations by the US Navy and Marine Corps, and 10 F-35Bs for the USMC’s “Navy Gator.”
Acting Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) Jules W. Hurst III said spare parts for the F-35 fleet had been underfunded in previous budgets and says the fiscal year 2027 budget request will begin to rectify this.
A small increase in the annual procurement of the F-15EX Eagle II aims to further relieve pressure on legacy aircraft types, while also taking advantage of some unique capabilities the aircraft brings to the table. Although the F-15EX lacks the stealth capabilities of the F-35, the aircraft’s large external payload has been useful in allowing the transport of physically larger munitions, as well as a greater number of munitions per sortie.
Beyond the budget request itself, it has been confirmed that the US Air Force plans to greatly increase its overall purchase of the Eagle II. A total of 267 F-15EX aircraft are currently planned for procurement, which could see the Eagle II begin to replace the F-15E Strike Eagle, as well as the aging F-15C/D Eagle fleet focused on air superiority. This expansion was previously hinted at in a report published last year.
“The Air Force now plans to purchase a total of 267 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets in the coming years, more than doubling previous fleet projections amid a massive increase in military spending under the Trump administration.” https://t.co/e6bMGNEddp
– Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) April 21, 2026
A reduction in spending on the B-21 Raider reflects the current state of the program, with flight testing continuing as planned along with limited production. As the B-21 continues its path toward operational service with a sufficient level of deliveries, funding continues to be allocated to upgrades for the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit bombers it is scheduled to replace. Although the B-21 is not scheduled to replace it, funding is also planned to allow for upgrades to the B-52 Stratofortress, including the long-awaited replacement of its Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofan engines with eight Rolls-Royce F130s.
The Department considers the B-21 a “top priority” as it is a key capability as part of the US Air Force’s conventional air force and an important part of the US Strategic Command’s (STRATCOM) nuclear triad.
After many reports about High pressures on the arsenals of the US military. of advanced anti-surface weapons During the Iran conflict, the budget proposes the acquisition of 821 AGM-158 long-range anti-ship missiles (JASSM) and 333 AGM-158C long-range anti-ship missiles (LRASM). The acquisition of 1,134 precision strike missiles (PrSM) and 785 BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles (TLAM) is also proposed.
An initial purchase of 1,000 units of the planned Family of Affordable Massive Missiles (FAMM) program is also proposed.
In fiscal year 2027, the U.S. Air Force will request $55 million in discretionary funds and $300 million in mandatory (reconciliation) funds for the Family of Affordable Massive Missiles (FAMM) to acquire 1,000 All Up rounds covering palletized (FAMM-P) and loaded (FAMM-L) variants. He… pic.twitter.com/EgVaefmJgY
— Air power | MIL-STD (@AirPowerNEW1) April 22, 2026
Missiles and air defense
Golden Dome, described in budget request literature as the primary U.S. initiative to deter and defeat advanced missile threats, is proposed to receive $17.9 billion in funding by fiscal year 2027. No contract winner for this program has yet been publicly announced, although sources previously said Reuters that Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Anduril were among the companies that received a series of small initial contracts.
Proposed funding for the US Space Force Resilient missile warning and tracking The program, which includes platforms on the ground, in low Earth orbit (LEO) and in medium Earth orbit (MEO), has more than doubled. These platforms will work alongside the Next Generation Airborne Persistent Infrared Satellite (NG-OPIR) constellation, a replacement for the Space Infrared System (SBIRS), to provide global detection and tracking of hypersonic missiles and glide vehicles. The first NG-OPIR satellite is due to its imminent release.
TEST COMPLETED! ✅#SpaceForceChina’s first next-generation OPIR satellite has passed its simulated space tests. Ready for whatever the space throws your way. Next, the final integration. At 22,000 miles altitude, you will detect hidden missile threats more quickly and clearly. Evolving threats, evolving technology. #MissileWarning pic.twitter.com/CXLxdrpHuo
— Space Systems Command (@USSF_SSC) August 6, 2025
Perhaps a reflection of the A large number of spent air defense ammunition. During Operation Epic Fury, the budget request includes the proposed acquisition of more than 2,000 anti-aircraft missiles. This includes 504 Standard Missile (SM) family missiles, 494 AIM-120 AMRAAM, 405 PAC-3 missiles for Patriot air defense batteries, 306 AIM-9X Sidewinders, 290 RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) missiles, 116 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe missiles and 62 interceptors for high-altitude terminal area defense. (THAAD) system.
Drone war
Two unmanned platforms are listed in the Major Air Power Programs section of the budget proposal. One is the MQ-25 Stingray, which is being developed for deployment as a refueling aircraft aboard US Navy aircraft carriers. Proposals for equip the plane with weapons They have also emerged in recent years. Three MQ-25s are planned to be procured in fiscal year 2027, and the most recent target date for achieving initial operational capability (IOC) will be towards the end of the same financial year.
Returning to the budget after some procurement gaps, the Pentagon is proposing the acquisition of five new MQ-9 Reaper aircraft. Previous requests have focused on ways to sustain and upgrade the Reaper, rather than fleet expansion, but fairly significant losses suffered by the fleet during recent conflicts may be leaving the US military without one of its most used intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike platforms.
Images released by the IRGC show the moment a US MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down over the Iranian province of Bushehr.
US officials today told CBS News that more MQ-9 drones were lost during operations against Iran, bringing the total number of Reapers lost to 11. pic.twitter.com/4k5fFku6pi
— Egyptian Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) March 9, 2026
The Pentagon also plans to continue investing in one-way attack drone platforms, such as the Low Cost Unmanned Combat Strike System (LUCAS), as well as small drones for ISR purposes. It is also proposed to fund counter-drone technologies to the tune of $20.6 billion as the United States continues to develop new ways to fight this emerging threat.
