Key Points – The Pentagon has reportedly slashed its fiscal year 2026 procurement request for the Air Force’s F-35 stealth fighter by half, from a projected 48 jets down to 24.
-This significant reduction is seen as part of a broader strategic shift under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to cut overall military spending and redirect resources towards next-generation platforms better suited for modern conflicts, such as the F-47 sixth-generation fighter.
-While a blow to contractor Lockheed Martin, the move signals the Pentagon is prioritizing future capabilities, including unmanned systems and advanced aircraft designed to counter threats from peer adversaries like China.
Why the Pentagon Just Slashed Its F-35 Orders
The Pentagon has reportedly slashed its procurement request for Air Force F-35 fighter jets in half in a move that signals the U.S. military is adapting to rapid-moving global military trends.
Rather than bolstering its fleet of current-generation aircraft and weapons, the Pentagon is shifting its focus to next-generation aircraft, unmanned systems, and hardware that better reflects today’s battlefield dynamics.
The news also comes as the Ukraine-Russia conflict provides a valuable insight into how modern drone technology can be implemented into warfare tactics, not just in theory but in practice.
According to a procurement document sent to Capitol Hill, the U.S. Air Force now seeks only 24 new F-35s for fiscal year 2026, down from 48 forecast last year.
The reduction comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to cut projected military spending by 8% over the next five years, requiring adjustments over multiple federal programs.
Hegseth’s department is now requesting $3.5 billion for aircraft procurement and a further $531 million for advance material procurement.
While the decision will empower the United States military to better equip itself for modern combat scenarios, it comes as a blow to Lockheed Martin.
The defense and technology corporation’s F-35 program, valued at an estimated $2 trillion over its lifetime, currently accounts for roughly 30% of its overall revenue.
While 110 F-35s were delivered in 2024, the program continues to face setbacks owing to delays connected to a planned technology upgrade.
F-35 vs. F-47: So, What Next?
While the Pentagon reduces its reliance on legacy systems, it is expanding investment in the F-47, a sixth-generation fighter that will go head-to-head with competing systems in development in Russia and China.
Notably, China’s sixth-generation J-36 tactical jet was seen in new photographs shared online, depicting a unique flared wing design, multiple internal weapons compartments, and a side-by-side cockpit seating layout.
American aerospace company Boeing secured a $20 billion contract to develop the platform in March 2025.
In May this year, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Gen. David Allvin, shared an official rendering of the F-47 aircraft and suggested that it will be in service sometime between 2025 and 2029.
Allvin said that the Air Force “will continue to be the world’s best example of speed, agility, and lethality.”
The optimistic timeframe for deployment, combined with Hegseth’s slashed F-35 procurement plans, could indicate that development is moving quickly.
The F-47 featured advanced stealth, supersonic speeds that exceed Mach 2, and a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles (nm), almost doubling the F-35’s 670 nm range.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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