A bipartisan call to dramatically expand the U.S. fighter fleet signals a new phase of military-industrial mobilization against China.
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US Senators Urge 50% Fighter Fleet Boost to Counter China
Two senior U.S. senators are calling for a 50 percent expansion of the nation’s fighter jet fleet by 2035 and long-term procurement deals for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and Boeing’s F-15EX, arguing the U.S. is losing its air dominance over China. The proposal comes as the U.S. fighter fleet has shrunk from 4,100 jets in 1990 to a record-low of 2,000 in 2024.
“Ceding control of the air, through poor procurement choices and insufficient investment in human capital, would be a strategic failure,” Senators Ted Budd and Jeanne Shaheen, both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in a May 5 opinion piece. They argue a predictable, multiyear procurement authority is needed to incentivize the defense industrial base to expand capacity.
The senators’ warning is underscored by stark production timelines. China’s sixth-generation stealth fighters, the J-36 and J-50, reportedly first flew in 2024, while the comparable U.S. F-47 is not expected to fly until 2028 and enter service in the mid-2030s. The senators claim China could outpace American fighter production by nearly 200 percent by 2027, part of a military buildup designed to dominate Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific.
The proposed industrial mobilization would lock in production stability for Lockheed Martin and Boeing, potentially boosting defense sector revenues while heightening geopolitical risk. The call to action aims to reverse decades of cuts that have left the Air Force with a fleet averaging over 27 years old and readiness rates around 50 percent.
Allies Bolster Fleets with US Jets
The push to expand F-35 and F-15EX production aligns with procurement trends among key U.S. allies. Israel’s defense ministry recently approved the purchase of two new squadrons, including its fourth F-35 squadron and a second F-15IA squadron, a variant of the F-15EX. The deals are valued at over $6 billion and will eventually bring Israel’s fleet to 100 F-35s and 50 F-15IAs.
Israeli officials cited lessons from their recent conflict with Iran as a reason to secure air superiority for the coming decades. The decision reinforces the strategic importance of the two U.S. platforms as complementary assets, with the F-35 providing stealth and the F-15EX offering significant payload capacity, including the ability to launch hypersonic weapons.
Modernization Across the Force
The focus on new fighters is part of a wider, multi-billion dollar effort to modernize the U.S. Air Force. The B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) recently passed its Critical Design Review, clearing the way for Boeing to begin modifying the iconic bombers. The upgrade, which re-designates the aircraft as the B-52J, involves replacing 1960s-era engines with modern Rolls-Royce F130 turbofans.
This broader modernization context, from upgrading century-series bombers to procuring next-generation fighters, highlights a systemic response to what the senators describe as a "historic military buildup" by China. The senators insist that without a similar national mobilization, the U.S. risks ceding control of the skies for the first time since the Cold War.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
[1] America’s Air Superiority Is Losing Altitude - WSJ[2] US Air Force’s B-52J re-engining clears design review, nears flight testing[3] Israel approves purchase of additional F-35I and F-15IA squadrons from the US[4] Israel approves acquisition of new F-35, F-15 squadrons[5] Can Korea’s most advanced fighter KF-21 compete with China, the US and Europe? - South China Morning Post
