Overview
- The Department of the Air Force sent Congress an unclassified 10-year fighter plan signed by Secretary Troy Meink that sets a requirement for 1,558 manned combat-coded fighters and a nearer-term target of 1,369 by early 2030.
- The plan prioritizes ramping Boeing F-15EX output to about 24 jets per year by FY27 (potentially 36 with added investment) and increasing F-35A purchases toward roughly 100 per year by FY30.
- Lockheed Martin cites current capacity near 156 F-35s per year across all variants, highlighting potential pressure on partner allocations if U.S. Air Force buys surge to the levels described.
- The report names the F-47/Next Generation Air Dominance and Collaborative Combat Aircraft as top modernization priorities, with CCAs framed as complements to manned fighters and initially paired with F-22s and F-35s.
- Planned retirements include clearing A-10s by the end of FY26 and partially retiring older F-22s, while a roughly $400 million annual sustainment shortfall and missing FYDP tables drew expert criticism about feasibility and transparency.