USAF Seeks 1,558 Fighter Jets in 10-Year Plan

USAF unveils a sweeping 10-year push to expand and modernize its tactical fleet.

The USAF fighter jets plan calls for 1,558 new aircraft over the next ten years as the United States Air Force (USAF) looks to replace aging airframes and sharpen its edge for future missions. The announcement frames procurement as both a force-structure increase and a technology refresh to meet evolving threats.

Why the USAF fighter jets buy matters

As the largest air force globally, the USAF is prioritizing next-generation capabilities alongside increased numbers. Procurement officials say the move targets operational readiness and long-term deterrence, while preserving options for advanced avionics, weapons integration and survivability improvements. Specific models, vendors and delivery timelines were not released in the initial outline.

Beyond aircraft counts, the program signals a shift toward sustained modernization rather than small, incremental upgrades. For defense planners and industry, a 1,558-aircraft target over a decade changes budgeting, production pacing and sustainment planning across the supply chain.

• 1,558 USAF fighter jets planned across a 10-year procurement window
• Focus on next-generation capabilities, avionics and survivability
• Designed to replace aging airframes and boost force structure

Analysts say this size of buy will reshape maintenance, training and basing over time and could drive competition among major Defense contractors. Until the USAF releases a detailed acquisition schedule or specifies aircraft types and models, officials and industry will be watching for requests for proposals, prototype demonstrations and test milestones that clarify how capability goals map to concrete platforms.

For military aviation watchers, the headline number — 1,558 fighters — is the story now. Expect follow-up announcements from the USAF with dates, platform details and budget allotments as the program moves from concept to execution.