The proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, recently unveiled by Congress, suggests a discretionary defense budget of $900.6 billion. This figure represents an $8 billion increase from the initial budget proposal put forth by the Pentagon earlier this year.
The detailed breakdown of the NDAA reveals allocations of $162 billion dedicated to procurement and $146 billion set aside for research, development, testing, and evaluation. The act also proposes $291 billion for operations and maintenance, alongside $234 billion for military personnel and associated health costs.
The legislative draft aims to fund several critical defense initiatives championed by President Donald Trump. Among these are the comprehensive Golden Dome missile defense system, the Air Force’s F-47 and the Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation fighters, the B-21 Raider stealth bomber, collaborative combat aircraft for the Air Force, and various submarines and warships.
However, the NDAA stops short of incorporating a formal name change of the Department of Defense to the War Department, a renaming favored by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hegseth has often articulated that renaming would reflect a renewed focus on lethality. Officially renaming the department, however, would require an act of Congress.
The NDAA also plans to authorize over $38 billion to support the development, procurement, or modernization of various military aircraft. It includes a $26 billion provision for shipbuilding, which will finance the construction or support of the third Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and one Virginia-class submarine, among other projects. Additionally, the act would allow for $25 billion to replenish the nation’s inventory of critical munitions, including various missiles and artillery munitions.
Regarding the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the NDAA aligns with the Pentagon’s initial request to purchase 47 units across the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, a reduction from the 69 initially anticipated for this year. The Air Force is set to acquire 24 F-35A fighters, slightly over half of the 44 jets it purchased in 2025.
In a shift of focus, the Pentagon expressed a desire to allocate more funding towards sustaining the F-35 jets and ensuring a robust support base for operations and maintenance, rather than increasing the number of jets. This approach, according to an August report from the House Armed Services Committee, is crucial for ensuring the jets are combat-ready at all times.
The NDAA stipulates building up a reserve of spare parts for the F-35, maintaining at least a 90-day supply by September 2028. It also continues to mandate annual evaluations of the F-35 program by the Government Accountability Office, alongside a requirement for the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy for integrating open mission systems architecture into the F-35 jets.
The act provides a safeguard for the Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail airborne battle management program, despite skepticism from Hegseth and attempts by the Pentagon to discontinue it. It prohibits the cancellation of Boeing’s contract for the prototype E-7s and the closure of the production line for the jets, which are already in use by Australia.
Furthermore, the legislation requires the Air Force to maintain at least 103 A-10 Warthog aircraft until the end of September 2026 and to report by March on plans to retire the remaining jets before fiscal 2029, detailing replacement strategies.
The bill assigns nearly $2.6 billion for the Air Force’s F-47 next-generation fighter, matching the service’s funding request. It also calls for a comprehensive report by March 2027 on the F-47 program, covering requirements, projected costs, schedule up to 2034, and acquisition strategies.
Additionally, the NDAA demands a proposed strategy for deploying the F-47, including considerations for force structure, construction, personnel training, strategic basing, and integration of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units into F-47 operations.
The Air Force is also instructed to extend the operational life of its approximately 400 LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles until the LGM-35A Sentinel nuclear missile is fully operational. The act restricts the reduction of intercontinental ballistic missiles below 400 and mandates maintaining at least 450 operational launch silos. Moreover, the Air Force cannot accept more than 188 KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers until it demonstrates a plan to rectify all major remaining deficiencies to Congress.
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Jamal Peterson reports on defense, aerospace, and tech policy. With a military background and a strategic mind, he dissects complex subjects with clarity, offering readers sharp, reliable insights.
