A significant increase in the production of F-15EX and F-35A aircraft will be required to achieve a target established by Donald Trump, as reported by the news publication Breaking Defense
As reported by the Breaking Defense news organization, referencing an unclassified force structure plan, the US Air Force (USAF) must acquire hundreds of new fighter jets over the coming decade to fulfill President Donald Trump’s defense aims.
The plan, presented to Congress earlier this month, indicates that the USAF is required to deploy 1,558 combat-coded fighter jets to meet its worldwide commitments under Trump’s Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance (INDSG). This objective surpasses the projected 1,271 fighters anticipated to be operational by 2026 by nearly 300.
The document outlines the USAF’s aspiration to achieve an interim target of 1,369 fighters by early 2030, yet it cautions that insufficient funding, constraints in industrial capacity, and conflicting modernization requirements might impede advancement.
The report highlights the F-15EX and F-35A as crucial for attaining the fighter jet objective. It specifies that Boeing has the potential to manufacture as many as two-dozen F-15EX aircraft annually by 2027, with the capacity to increase production to 36 per year given “additional funding for facilities.”
Concurrently, Lockheed Martin could provide up to 100 F-35As each year by 2030, planes characterized as the “foundation of the USAF fighter force structure.” Nevertheless, the document points out that achieving this production level would necessitate expanded facilities, supplementary funding, and the rectification of hardware and software deficits impacting forthcoming F-35 upgrades.
The report warns that anticipated gains could be significantly negated by manufacturing delays, deficiencies in sustainment, and the decommissioning of older aircraft, including A-10s and certain F-22s. It also points to a yearly $400 million shortfall in sustainment funding and cautions that rival modernization initiatives, like the forthcoming sixth-generation F-47 fighter, could additionally impede advancement.
Trump’s INDSG mandates the US military to address capability discrepancies in preparation for a potential confrontation with China, a nation Washington has identified as its chief strategic adversary. The Pentagon has simultaneously been urging a multifold increase in missile production output due to worries regarding readiness for a possible conflict, especially concerning the self-governing island of Taiwan.
Beijing has consistently dismissed US allegations of military aggression and has rebuked Washington for escalating tensions through arming Taipei and expanding its regional footprint.