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Projected Composition of the U.S. Military's Fleet of Fighter Aircraft Through 2040

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  • Congressional Budget Office

Abstract

CBO projects that the U.S. military's current fleet of about 3,300 fighter aircraft will shrink to about 3,000 aircraft by 2029 but then grow steadily from 2031 to 2040, reaching 3,600 aircraft. Starting in 2033, more than 50 percent of the fighter fleet will be harder-to-detect stealthy aircraft. Because of the challenges associated with maintaining stealthy aircraft, CBO projects that the availability and use of the fighter fleet will decline between 2026 and 2040, even though the total fleet will be younger, on average, than it was in 2025.

Suggested Citation

  • Congressional Budget Office, 2026. "Projected Composition of the U.S. Military's Fleet of Fighter Aircraft Through 2040," Reports 62538, Congressional Budget Office.
    • Handle: RePEc:cbo:report:62538
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    File URL: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2026-07/62538-future-fighter-aircraft.pdf
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F52 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - National Security; Economic Nationalism
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • H56 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - National Security and War
    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement
    • L64 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Other Machinery; Business Equipment; Armaments
    • N42 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-
    • N62 - Economic History - - Manufacturing and Construction - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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