U.S. Funds $102 Billion Air Power Plan for Deep Strike and Air Superiority Against China and Russia.

The United States is sharply increasing investment in air power, committing over $100 billion to aircraft, refueling, mobility, and unmanned systems to ensure dominance in contested battlespaces. This signals a focus on maintaining the ability to penetrate advanced air defenses and project force against near-peer adversaries.

The funding strengthens long-range strike, aerial refueling reach, and unmanned capabilities critical for operations in denied environments. It supports a shift toward survivable, networked air operations designed to counter evolving threats such as integrated air defense systems and anti-access strategies.

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A composite view of U.S. air power featuring F-35 Lightning II, F-15EX Eagle II, B-21 Raider and KC-46A Pegasus illustrating integrated strike, payload, and long-range sustainment capabilities. (Picture source: US DoD)

The objective goes beyond fleet renewal. The United States aims to combine fourth, fifth, and sixth-generation aircraft in order to preserve air superiority, strike depth, persistence, and the ability to conduct distributed operations. Within this structure, each aircraft fulfills a defined role, ranging from stealth penetration and high payload delivery to aerial refueling, networked warfare, and extended operational reach.

In its FY 2027 Department of War Budget Overview Book published in April 2026, the Department of War states that $102.2 billion is directed toward air power, covering the F-15EX Eagle II, F-35 Lightning II, F-47, B-21 Raider, mobility aircraft, KC-46A Pegasus, and unmanned systems. The same document indicates that the primary tactical investments focus on the F-35, the F-47, and the future naval fighter F/A-XX, while continuing the modernization of existing fleets.

The most visible change concerns the F-35 Lightning II, with procurement increasing from 47 aircraft in 2026 to 85 in 2027, representing $21.4 billion. The F-35A, operated by the U.S. Air Force, uses a conventional takeoff and landing configuration, while the F-35B of the U.S. Marine Corps features short takeoff and vertical landing capability, enabling operations from amphibious ships or austere airstrips. The F-35C, designed for carrier operations, incorporates a larger wing, reinforced landing gear, and an arresting hook. All variants share the AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar, the Distributed Aperture System providing 360-degree infrared awareness, and a data fusion architecture enabling real-time information sharing across the battlespace.

The F-15EX Eagle II complements this stealth fleet with a different operational logic based on payload capacity and flexibility. The FY 2027 budget includes 24 aircraft, compared to 22 the previous year. Derived from a proven airframe but extensively modernized, the F-15EX can carry more than 13 tons of external stores, integrates the AN/APG-82 radar, and employs the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS). Its role is not centered on low observability but on acting as a high-capacity missile carrier, particularly for long-range air-to-air weapons or heavy standoff munitions launched from safer distances.

The F-47 represents the transition toward sixth-generation capabilities. Funding reaches $5 billion in 2027, up from $3.5 billion in 2026. Public data remains limited, but the aircraft is associated with the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) framework, combining enhanced stealth, advanced sensors, network integration, and cooperation with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). These unmanned systems are intended to expand sensor coverage, distribute risk, and increase engagement depth around the crewed aircraft.

The future F/A-XX of the U.S. Navy also appears within the modernization trajectory, although FY 2027 funding drops to $0.1 billion from $1.7 billion in 2026. This program aims to develop a next-generation carrier-based fighter intended to gradually replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. It is expected to prioritize range, survivability, integration with naval sensor networks, and coordination with future carrier-based unmanned systems, as carrier strike groups must operate at greater stand-off distances from anti-ship missile threats.

The B-21 Raider occupies a central role in long-range strike. Designed for both conventional and nuclear missions, this stealth bomber is intended to penetrate integrated air defense systems and replace the B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit over time. Its open architecture is meant to enable rapid integration of new sensors, software, and weapons. At the same time, the B-52 Stratofortress continues to undergo modernization, including the replacement of its Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines with eight Rolls-Royce F130 turbofans, improving fuel efficiency, availability, and service life for a bomber primarily used as a long-range cruise missile carrier.

The KC-46A Pegasus receives $4.4 billion for 15 aircraft. Based on the Boeing 767 airframe, it can transfer more than 90 tons of fuel using both boom and hose-and-drogue systems. It also carries cargo, passengers, or medical evacuation payloads, making it both a mobility asset and a force multiplier. The MQ-25A Stingray, funded for three aircraft, introduces a carrier-based unmanned refueling capability designed to extend the operational range of embarked aircraft. The MQ-9 Reaper, with five aircraft planned, retains its role in intelligence, surveillance, and strike missions in permissive environments, supported by endurance exceeding twenty hours and the integration of electro-optical sensors and guided munitions.

In tactical employment, this budget allocation reflects a balance between penetration, firepower, and operational endurance. The F-35 is used to reduce uncertainty by detecting, classifying, and sharing targeting data in airspaces saturated with radars and surface-to-air missiles. The F-15EX then leverages this information to increase available firepower without exposing stealth aircraft to heavy payload missions. The B-21 extends this logic at the strategic level, with the ability to strike hardened or deeply defended targets, while the KC-46A directly influences sortie generation over long distances. However, this architecture produces an advantage only if data links, air-to-air and air-to-ground missile inventories, forward operating bases, and tankers remain available despite adversary strikes. In the Indo-Pacific, U.S. air power will depend less on the total number of aircraft than on its ability to disperse, refuel, protect, and reconnect forces after initial engagements.

This budget orientation also reflects a stricter assessment of the strategic environment. The United States is not only funding new aircraft, but also a capacity to sustain operations when fixed bases, carriers, satellites, and command networks become primary targets. In relation to China, the central issue lies in theater depth, the density of ballistic and cruise missiles, and the ability to contest air approaches across the first and second island chains. In relation to Russia, the focus is more on layered air defense systems, electronic warfare, and long-range strikes against allied infrastructure. By investing simultaneously in the F-35, F-47, B-21, F-15EX, tankers, and unmanned systems, the United States seeks to avoid reliance on a single model of air superiority. The signal directed toward both allies and adversaries is therefore clear: U.S. air power is preparing to operate in contested environments where initial access is challenged, losses cannot be excluded, and industrial endurance becomes as relevant as technological performance.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.