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U.S. Fighter Fleet Will Expand By 2040 But More Stealth Aircraft Will Mean Less Availability, CBO Says

Cal Biesecker By
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U.S. Fighter Fleet Will Expand By 2040 But More Stealth Aircraft Will Mean Less Availability, CBO Says
Pictured is a U.S. Air Force photo of Luke AFB, Ariz. F-35A fighters in flight.

The number of fighter aircraft in the U.S. military inventory will decline over the next few years before expanding to a greater number than currently, but their availability for operational use will decline as stealthy—though difficult to maintain—F-35s make up a greater portion of the fleet, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says in a new report. The fighter fleet used by the Defense Department was about 3,500 aircraft in 2025, and that number will shrink to about 3,000 aircraft in…

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