Reducing Fighter Jets, Increasing Missiles and Drones
Pace of Cuts Eased Compared to Initial Defense Draft
Original Plan Limited F-35 Purchases to 24 Units
The F-35A fighter jet from American defense contractor Lockheed Martin performed a demonstration flight on the 16th (local time) at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, during the 55th Paris International Air Show. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to reduce purchases of F-35 stealth fighter jets in the 2026 fiscal year (from October this year to September 2026), opting instead to secure more missiles and drones. However, the pace of the reduction in fighter jet purchases has been eased compared to the draft released by the Department of Defense on the 25th (local time).
According to reports by Reuters and others, the U.S. Department of Defense announced on the 26th that it would request a defense budget of $848.3 billion from Congress for the 2026 fiscal year. Including the $113 billion in defense spending contained in the tax cut bill currently under discussion in Congress, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill," the Department of Defense's total budget request for 2026 amounts to $961.3 billion (approximately 1,300 trillion won).
Looking at the major weapons procurement items, the Department of Defense plans to purchase 47 F-35 fighter jets. The defense spending bill currently being discussed in the House of Representatives calls for the purchase of 69 F-35s, so the actual purchase quantity will be determined through negotiations between the Department of Defense and Congress. This figure is lower than the 68 units requested for purchase in the 2025 fiscal year under the Biden administration.
However, this is a significant increase compared to the 24 F-35 fighter jets included in the draft defense budget released on the 25th. Bloomberg News previously pointed out that this large reduction could be interpreted as a measure to implement the plans of Secretary of Defense Pete Hecks.
The Navy has requested a budget to purchase a total of 19 vessels, including two Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines. The Navy stated that procurement of one additional Virginia-class submarine and 15 additional warships will be pursued under a separate budget proposal.
The Air Force continues to invest in long-range strike capabilities, such as the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). Both missiles are known to be useful in the Pacific region, where long-range operations are required.
The budget for small drones has increased. This is because unmanned aerial vehicles have proven to be cost-effective and highly efficient weapons in the war in Ukraine.
The Department of Defense has also requested the budget needed to increase military pay by 3.8%. In addition, cost-saving measures are included, such as retiring all 162 aging A-10 attack aircraft and reducing the number of Navy civilian personnel by 7,286.
Meanwhile, a senior defense official told Reuters that the $25 billion budget for the "Golden Dome" missile defense network, which former President Trump pledged to build across the United States, was reflected in the separate tax cut bill and was not included in the budget proposal submitted to Congress on this day.
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