US Air Force Says It Needs 1,509 Combat-Ready Fighters by 2035

The US Air Force has announced its need for 1,509 combat-ready fighter aircraft by 2035 to cover medium-risk operations, according to a defense report citing a senior officer and a new congressional report.

The required number of fighter aircraft represents a jump compared to last year's estimates, based on significant increases in the parallel "low risk" calculation, according to Breaking Defense.

A report dated last August, commissioned by Congress, reviewed the new figures and was sent to legislators as part of an unclassified update to a similar study issued last year.

In addition to reviewing total fighter numbers, this year's analysis, covering fiscal year 2026, presents a new argument for changing how combat-ready fighters are counted, citing lessons learned from the Iran war.

Beyond the medium-risk projection of 1,509 aircraft, the US Air Force found in its annual fighter force structure report that 1,723 combat-ready aircraft are needed to reach a low-risk operational level by 2035. This is dozens more than the 1,558 projected in last year's report, which did not include a medium-risk estimate.

Vice Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, General David Tabor, noted that "medium risk" projections are likely the most appropriate, emphasizing that officials "generally do not plan for low risks."

Speaking to journalists at the Department of War (the Pentagon) days ago, Tabor confirmed that officials aim instead for a "medium level of risk."

Tabor said the detailed fighter jet projections in the report "give the public, media, and Congress confidence that we are not making this up."

He added: "We look at the long term, we put together a plan to get there, and we cannot get there alone."

Tabor emphasized that the precise figures in the report are "debatable" to some extent, given that analyses are constantly updated.

Funding Fighter Jet Purchases Is Difficult
Because the 2025 report did not include figures for a "medium risk" operational profile, this year's projection of 1,509 aircraft cannot be directly compared to last year's estimates.

The US Air Force has long struggled to fund fighter jet purchases at required levels amid competing priorities such as modernizing its nuclear arsenal and budget-related conflicts in Congress.

When legislators refuse to retire certain aircraft, the Air Force is forced to keep them longer than military planners intend, compelling them to spend more money maintaining older planes.

Tabor stated: "Without authority to obligate funds and available money, we will not be able to do it."

The US Air Force budget for fiscal year 2027 highlights some of these challenges.

The Air Force allocated funding in its base budget for 24 F-15EX aircraft and a similar number of F-35s, but relies on congressional reconciliation mechanisms to provide 14 additional F-35s; however, the reconciliation bill is now "in doubt," according to Breaking Defense.

Tabor said options such as shifting other funds within the base budget might be on the table if reconciliation fails, but he stressed that "alternatives are undesirable."