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A new bipartisan legislative proposal in the U.S. Senate seeks to increase the minimum number of fighter jets the Air Force must maintain in its inventory and provide service leaders with enhanced flexibility in acquiring additional aircraft.
The legislation, known as the Airpower Acceleration Act, is co-sponsored by Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). It is one of three related bills aimed at strengthening the combat air forces of the United States. The other legislative initiatives address improving incentives for retaining trained aircrew and increasing career flexibility for Airmen in critical, high-demand specialties.
Senator Budd, commenting on the legislative package, stated in a press release, “The future of American military dominance relies on maintaining our air superiority, and the path forward is clear—rebuild our Defense Industrial Base through restoring our combat aircraft forces and retaining experienced aviators.”
The Airpower Acceleration Act specifically proposes several key changes:
- **Multiyear Procurement Authority:** It would empower the Air Force to award multiyear procurement contracts for both the F-35 Lightning II and F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft. This authority is intended to provide greater predictability for suppliers, which could lead to reduced costs through more efficient planning and larger-scale production.
- **Extended Fighter Inventory Requirement:** The bill would extend the existing requirement for the Air Force to maintain an inventory of 1,800 total fighter aircraft until October 1, 2035. This measure was previously set to expire on October 1, 2026.
- **Minimum Combat-Coded Fighter Levels:** It would establish a minimum threshold for the number of combat-coded fighters the Air Force must possess, setting the figure at 1,369 by the end of 2030 and increasing it to 1,558 by the end of 2035.
- **Increased F-15EX Acquisition:** The legislation would authorize the Air Force to acquire up to 329 F-15EX aircraft, which is nearly 100 more than the service’s currently planned acquisition numbers for this platform.
Christian McMullen, a spokesperson for Senator Budd’s office, indicated to Air & Space Forces Magazine that the bill is considered vital due to significant advancements in China’s military capabilities, particularly in the production of advanced, including sixth-generation, fighter aircraft. These developments are perceived as a growing threat to U.S. air superiority.
“There is bipartisan concern about the overall state of our fighting force in the air, especially as it would pertain to a China threat,” McMullen said, underscoring the broad support for addressing these concerns.
This bipartisan backing is reflected in the bill’s list of cosponsors, which includes Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink expressed gratitude to the senators for introducing the legislative package. In a social media post, Meink wrote, “These measures will close critical gaps in both equipment & manpower while enhancing the quality of life for the entire force.”
Combat-Coded Aircraft and Inventory Metrics
Current U.S. law mandates that the Air Force’s fighter inventory must include 1,800 total fighter aircraft, with 1,145 of these designated as “Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory” (PMAI). PMAI refers to aircraft considered ready and available for immediate operational deployment, essentially the aircraft that would be committed to combat.
Matt Donovan, a former Undersecretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force and a former professional staff member for the Senate Armed Services Committee, who was involved in crafting the original requirement, described PMAI as “what you’re going to take to war.”
However, in an August 2025 report to Congress, the Air Force adopted a revised metric for its aircraft count, termed “Combat-Coded Total Aircraft Inventory.” This new category consolidates PMAI, backup aircraft inventory (spare aircraft), and attrition reserve (aircraft designated to replace combat losses) into a single classification.
While Donovan and other critics have suggested this change could obscure the actual readiness and operational state of the fighter fleet, Senator Budd’s spokesperson, McMullen, explained that lawmakers are simply aligning the bill’s language with the Air Force’s updated “combat-coded” terminology. The intention is to clearly indicate the total number of aircraft that would be available during a national crisis.
Despite this alignment in terminology, the combat-coded inventory levels mandated by the proposed bill are higher than the Air Force’s own projections. The service’s 2025 report anticipated a combat-coded inventory of 1,304 fighters by fiscal year 2030, which would fall 65 aircraft short of the bill’s proposed 1,369-airframe requirement for the same period.
Donovan noted that the Air Force’s projection did not account for the F-47, which is scheduled for its first flight in 2028 and is likely to still be in development by 2030, nor did it fully consider the A-10 Warthog, which the service recently extended in its operational lifespan until 2030. Both aircraft types could contribute to meeting the proposed minimums.
McMullen clarified that while lawmakers are utilizing the combat-coded metric, the bill does not alter the Air Force’s established model for calculating personnel, spare parts, and overall funding required to sustain aircraft based on the PMAI. Donovan emphasized the importance of this distinction, stating, “It really comes down to readiness and aircraft availability, right? You can have 10,000 airplanes, but if you can only fly, say, 2,000 because that’s all the parts you have and all the maintainers you have to take care of them, then the overall aircraft inventory is kind of moot.”
Multiyear Procurement Authority for Cost Savings and Industrial Base Strength
A key provision of the Airpower Acceleration Act is the authority it would grant for multiyear procurement contracts for the F-35 and F-15EX. This contracting method allows the Pentagon to sign agreements covering two to five years of equipment acquisition, offering benefits such as cost savings and a strengthened defense industrial base through increased predictability.
Multiyear procurement provides industry partners with a more stable demand signal, enabling them to make long-term investments in production lines, workforce training, and supply chains, which can lead to economies of scale and reduced unit costs. Congressional Research Service reports have estimated that multiyear contracts can result in government savings ranging from 5 to 15 percent.
The Pentagon has recently expanded its use of multiyear procurement, particularly to boost munitions production. In an April 21 budget briefing, Maj. Gen. Frank R. Verdugo, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for budget, stated that the service is “sending an unmistakable demand signal to industry and expanding multiyear contracts for next-generation technology.”
Secretary Meink had also previously indicated the department was exploring multiyear procurement for aircraft. Furthermore, nearly two dozen National Guard adjutants general recently sent a letter to Congress endorsing multiyear procurement for the Air Force to acquire between 72 and 100 new F-35s and F-15EXs annually. The upcoming deal for Lot 20 of F-35 aircraft is a potential candidate for a multiyear contract, though this has not been confirmed.
Focus on the F-15EX Eagle II
The final section of the Airpower Acceleration Act specifically addresses the F-15EX Eagle II, an advanced version of the fourth-generation F-15 fighter. The F-15EX incorporates modern avionics, fly-by-wire flight controls, and enhanced electronic warfare capabilities, making it a highly capable combat aircraft.
The bill states that the Air Force “may” increase the F-15EX fleet size to 329 aircraft. Crucially, it includes further directives on how any F-15EXs acquired beyond the initial 129 units already under contract must be allocated.
Specifically, any additional F-15EX aircraft acquired under this authorization must be used to replace the aging F-15E Strike Eagle fleet. McMullen confirmed this alignment, stating, “This aligns with where the Air Force wants to take the Strike Eagle fleet.”
Indeed, an Air Force spokesperson recently confirmed that the service is increasing its planned F-15EX fleet to 267 airframes. This expansion is intended to “complete building existing F-15EX units and then begin to recapitalize the aging F-15E fleet.”
The Air Force currently operates 216 F-15Es. Previous plans outlined the retirement of all but 99 of these aircraft, retaining only those F-15E models equipped with the newer F100-PW-229 engines. Senator Budd, whose constituency includes Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, an F-15E base, and other lawmakers, had previously moved to block these retirements. However, in its fiscal year 2027 budget request, the Air Force is again proposing to divest 20 F-15Es.
The new bill suggests that Senator Budd may be amenable to these F-15E retirements if the aircraft are directly replaced by new F-15EXs.
“For the F-15EXs, there is a downstream effect,” McMullen said. “According to the Air Force’s plans, the F-15EX will hopefully arrive at Seymour Johnson in the early 2030s. But we need more EXs now, given the China buildup and a potential invasion of Taiwan.”
Legislative Path Forward
While the Airpower Acceleration Act has garnered bipartisan support with five cosponsors, it is considered unlikely to pass as a standalone piece of legislation. Instead, Donovan noted that the provisions within the bill are more likely to be incorporated into this year’s version of the annual defense policy bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Members of Congress are expected to begin the markup process for the NDAA in the coming weeks. This legislative process can span several months, but the NDAA is widely regarded as “must-pass” legislation, meaning it is highly probable to be enacted into law each year due to its critical role in funding and setting policy for the U.S. military.
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Why This Matters
The Airpower Acceleration Act addresses critical issues facing U.S. national security and defense strategy. In an era of increasing geopolitical competition, particularly with the rapid military modernization efforts by China, maintaining air superiority is paramount for projecting power, deterring aggression, and protecting U.S. interests globally. This bill aims to ensure the U.S. Air Force has a sufficient number of modern fighter aircraft to meet potential threats, setting clear inventory targets and authorizing increased acquisition of advanced platforms like the F-15EX.
Furthermore, the legislation’s emphasis on multiyear procurement contracts has significant implications for the U.S. defense industrial base. By providing manufacturers with long-term order visibility, it can stabilize production lines, encourage investment in domestic manufacturing capabilities, and potentially lead to cost savings for taxpayers. This strengthens the industrial capacity necessary for sustained military readiness. The bill also highlights ongoing congressional oversight of Air Force inventory metrics and modernization plans, reflecting a broader debate about how best to balance legacy aircraft sustainment with the acquisition of next-generation capabilities to ensure the U.S. maintains its technological edge in the air.