Overview

• The 2026 defense and national security budget request remains at $892.6 billion, matching the current year’s spending level.
• F-35 purchases are cut from 68 to 47 jets, prompting a House Appropriations Committee draft bill to boost the order to 69.
• Investment in unmanned drones and long-range strike weapons such as the JASSM-ER and LRASM rises to support a tech-driven military posture.
• A 3.8% pay raise for troops is paired with a reduction of 7,286 civilian roles in the Navy to offset procurement shifts.
• At a Hague summit, NATO agreed to target 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, and President Trump criticized Spain’s refusal to join the new spending commitment.