Congress plans to provide the US Air Force with an additional $1 billion for procuring aircraft
US Representatives want the branch to purchase 44 units of the F-35 in FY2025. (Photo: US Air Force)
The House Appropriations Committee approved a version of the FY2025 National Defence Appropriations Act (NDAA) on 13 June which included an additional US$1 billion for the US Air Force (USAF) to procure aircraft and modernise its fleet.
In its FY2025 proposal, the branch requested $19.8 billion for aircraft acquisition and upgrade efforts. If the budget increase passes through the Senate, the service’s fund for purchases will be $20.8 billion.
The total amount, however, will be still smaller than the $22 billion the service proposed for FY2024. Representatives stated in the NDAA text that “the Committee is sceptical of how
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
-
Quantum Systems details 480km/h Ukrainian interceptor as production scales up
Quantum Systems’s Ukraine-made interceptor SPYS is thought to cost approximately 10 times less than Russia's jet-powered uncrewed aerial systems and is being produced at scale.