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Top Air Force and Space Force leaders pitched a $338.8 billion fiscal 2027 budget to the House Armed Services Committee on May 20, framing the request as a bid to restore readiness, speed modernization and posture both services for intensifying competition in air and space. The plan allocates $267.7 billion for the Air Force and $71.1 billion for the Space Force and, if enacted, would raise the department’s topline by $92.5 billion over current levels.
“We are in the middle of a generational shift in how we employ air and spacepower,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said. “The FY27 budget increases our foundational readiness investments by 34%, providing the jump needed to truly recover. We’re also looking at ways to operate more efficiently by accelerating decision-making, reducing barriers to entry for industry and leveraging innovative contract structures.”
Department officials said the request targets operations and maintenance with a 23% increase, covering more flying hours, maintenance, munitions procurement, infrastructure updates and advanced training, including joint exercises focused on space superiority. Leaders argued the ramp-up is warranted by current threats and the need to prepare for potential future conflicts.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said the service is leaning into modernization while sustaining today’s force. “We are advancing the F-47 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft to increase combat mass and complicate adversary targeting,” Wilsbach said. “We are upgrading our current fighter fleet to ensure it remains viable while also investing in long-range strike, advanced munitions, and resilient command and control.”
On readiness, the proposal would fund the flying hour program at its maximum executable level of 1.1 million hours and raise weapon system sustainment to $22.6 billion across 147 programs. Infrastructure is another focus area: the department is seeking $13.6 billion for facility sustainment, restoration and modernization, a 110% increase over this year, with money earmarked for operational facilities, launch infrastructure and beddowns supporting next-generation missions.
Space Force leaders told lawmakers their service faces rising operational demands across multiple theaters. “The nation has long recognized the need for the Space Force to grow, but we are now seeing the demand to accelerate that growth,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said.
Meink highlighted an overhaul of how the department buys and fields capabilities. “We are transforming our acquisition system,” said Meink. “We are empowering our new Portfolio Acquisition Executives and their teams, with the authorities, resources and talent they need to accelerate capability delivery. We are re-aligning portfolios to match mission outcomes. Our end state is all DAF acquisitions aligned within the PAE structure to ensure consistent, simplified, and rapid decision-making across the Space Force and Air Force.”
The plan includes a 50% boost to research, development, test and evaluation for next-generation aircraft, resilient space architectures and advanced command-and-control. Air Force priorities cited to lawmakers include the F-47, Sentinel, Collaborative Combat Aircraft and continued B-21 Raider development. Space Force investments would center on missile warning and tracking, satellite communications and space control.
All three leaders pointed to efforts to strengthen the defense industrial base through acquisition transformation initiatives, greater use of commercial space capabilities, expanded weapons procurement and accelerated development of advanced munitions and hypersonic systems. “I think the Space Force is on a good path. We have shifted our relationship with industry,” said Saltzman. “It was very transactional, so we are investing heavily with industry to collaborate, to get minimum products in the hands of our operators as quickly as possible with a small number of requirements necessary to just advance the programs.”
The request also proposes investments in end strength, housing, childcare, medical care and dormitory modernization to recruit and retain Airmen and Guardians. “This budget represents a clear-eyed assessment of the threats we face and a disciplined strategy to meet them,” Meink said.
