Twenty-two Air National Guard generals have petitioned Congress for a major, sustained fighter procurement push. In a letter sent this month, the group called for multiyear funding to purchase between 72 and 100 new combat aircraft annually, framing the request as critical to halting the fleet's decline.
The appeal underscores a widening gap between the Air Force's modernization goals and the operational readiness of its reserve component. Guard units, which provide a significant portion of the nation's homeland defense and air sovereignty alert missions, argue their aging fleets are becoming a strategic liability. A failure to recapitalize could erode the service's ability to meet simultaneous global and domestic commitments.
The request is likely to intensify ongoing debates on Capitol Hill about defense spending priorities and force structure. Lawmakers from districts with Guard bases have historically been strong advocates for equipping reserve units, but they must now balance this against other pressing budgetary demands, including shipbuilding and nuclear modernization.
While the letter specifies a desired annual purchase rate, it does not attach a total cost estimate or identify specific aircraft models for the multiyear buy. The lack of a detailed price tag complicates the funding debate, as Congress weighs the proposal against other multi-billion dollar procurement programs.
Analysts note the push comes as the Air Force grapples with retiring older F-15C/D and A-10 fleets faster than new F-35s and F-15EXs can be fielded. This mismatch creates a capacity shortfall that the Guard generals warn is 'actively shrinking' the nation's overall combat air power.