Pentagon budget 2027: US Navy looks to more than double aviation procurement

The fiscal year 2027 US Navy budget proposal includes funding for additional F-35Cs, like the aircraft shown here undergoing aircraft carrier testing. (Michael Fabey)

The US Navy (USN) has requested about USD34.4 billion for aircraft procurement programmes in fiscal year (FY) 2027, compared to the USD16.6 billion for aviation procurement in FY 2026, according USN documents supporting the FY 2027 proposal released on 21 April.

That full FY 2027 request breaks down as USD22.1 billion strictly for aircraft procurement, USD6.4 billion for aircraft modifications, USD4.8 billion for spares, and USD1.1 billion for support equipment, the USN documents show.

The FY 2027 proposal requests 20 navy F-35Cs in FY 2027 — two aircraft procured through discretionary funding and the remaining 18 through “mandatory” funding, the documents show.

The documents use “mandatory” to refer to spending that could be added this fiscal year through a potential budget reconciliation process, which only requires a simple majority to pass, and can obviate a Senate filibuster if the legislation meets certain requirements.

USN officials want to buy 106 navy F-35Cs across the future years defense programme (FYDP), which starts in FY 2027 and ends in FY 2031, according to documents.

The FY 2027 proposal also requests 17 US Marine Corps (USMC) F-35Cs – six through discretionary funding and 11 through mandatory funding – as well as 56 of those aircraft across the FYDP. Another 10 USMC short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs are being requested in FY 2027, all through mandatory funding, with the USN seeking to procure 41 across the FYDP. It also includes USD1.8 billion in F-35 sustainment to improve readiness, an increase over FY 2026 funding.