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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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The U.S. Air Force could face a shortfall in combat fighters, according to defense industry outlets citing a report to Congress on the service’s 10-year fleet requirements.
Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Air Force Public Affairs office for comment.
Why It Matters
The Air Force’s plan to expand its combat-coded fighter fleet could require additional funding from Congress. In March, the USAF Reserve Chief testified that funding shortfalls and aging aircraft are jeopardizing readiness, warning that limited resources could undermine the Reserve’s ability to respond quickly to crises at home and abroad. The Air Force's estimated fleet of nearly 5,000 aircraft is already the smallest in its 78-year history.
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“Combat-coded” means aircraft assigned to squadrons that are fully equipped and trained for operational missions. This does not include bombers, tankers, transport aircraft or trainers.
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What To Know
A 10-year fighter force structure plan dated this month and submitted to Congress says the Air Force needs a total of 1,558 combat-coded fighter jets—nearly 300 more than a current estimated inventory of 1,271 in fiscal 2026—to meet the Trump administration’s Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance.
The plan does not formally request a specific dollar amount from Congress. The Air Force says it must speed up fighter purchases to reach its goals but warns that competing modernization priorities could limit what it can afford, the report added.
The service is investing in next‑generation fighters such as the planned F‑47 and upgrading existing fighters like the F‑35 and F‑15 to maintain deterrence, according to USAF Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin's statement made during the Air Force’s FY 2026 budget request hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in June.
How many fighter jets does the U.S. have?
No official records on the exact numbers are publicly available and sources vary. Defense Daily reported in September, citing the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, that the USAF is estimated to have a total of more than 2,000 fighters, mostly Lockheed Martin's F-16s, with 750 at most being combat capable.
According to the Heritage Foundation's Index of U.S. Military Strength in 2024, at the close of FY 2023, the Air Force’s inventory included 1,432 active-duty fighters, of which 886 were designated combat-coded.
Aerospace experts and officials warn that the Air Force is facing a readiness and capacity crisis, with an aging fighter fleet and declining operational capability.
How U.S. fighter jet numbers compare to China and Russia
China's air and naval air forces operate 1,433 combat aircraft, excluding the 150 H-6 heavy bomber used by both services, as well as tankers, military transporters and training jets, according to the 2025 World Air Forces directory, published by the specialist website FlightGlobal.
These included at least 19 of the People Liberation Army Air Force's latest J-20 fifth-generation stealth jets at the time of the report's release in November 2024.
Russia's air force combat fleet stood at more than 1,000, excluding 57 Tu-22M, 47 Tu-95, and 15 Tu-160 strategic bombers.
The three most common fixed-wing aircraft in its fleet are Su-27/30/35 fighters at 384 active units, MiG-29/35 fighters at 236 active units and Su-24 tactical bombers at 269 units, according to the report's estimates.
What People Are Saying
Breaking Defense, citing the U.S. Air Force's 10-year fighter plan submitted to Congress: "The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is focused on modernizing current fifth generation and legacy capability fighter aircraft fleets, expanding exquisite warfighting capabilities, and acquiring new advanced fighter capability."
The U.S. Department of Defense, on June 26: "Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said that in addition to the importance of the nuclear triad modernization, other efforts include the development of the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet—designed to replace the F-22 Raptor—revitalizing the B-52 Stratofortress bomber fleet and upgrading the F-35 Lightning II and F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft."
Mark Sears, Boeing vice president for fighters, told Breaking Defense: "We are increasing production to meet anticipated demand and plan to double output to 24 aircraft in the coming years."
What Happens Next
To meet its near-term goals, the Air Force may seek to increase Boeing and Lockheed Martin's production of their F-15EX and F-35A jets, maximizing existing lines.
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