Any Decision To Buy New-Build F-16s Not An “Urgent” Priority: USAF

The Air Force has not decided whether to purchase newly built F-16 fighters, including possible Block 70 or Block 72 aircraft. The question matters because many older F-16s will approach the end of their service lives during the 2030s, while the service wants a much larger fighter fleet by 2035.

Lt. Gen. David Tabor said the decision is not urgent yet. He described a possible “spectrum of capability” that could replace aging Vipers, rather than committing to one aircraft immediately. The Air Force also said it has not defined precise mission requirements or the full range of options.

The choice is unlikely to be part of the Fiscal Year 2028 budget process. The Air Force is still analyzing its next Future Years Defense Program. Meanwhile, it is upgrading some existing F-16s and moving newer jets from units converting to F-35s into squadrons with older Vipers.

The F-16 Viper is a fighter aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force. In the article, it represents the largest share of the current fighter structure. F-16s account for 45 percent of the service’s fighter force, ahead of F-35s at 30 percent, F-15s at 15 percent, and F-22s at 10 percent.

The fleet is not uniform. It includes several subvariants, and some aircraft are not assigned to combat-coded units. The Air Force reported 774 F-16s in inventory at the start of Fiscal Year 2026, with that number expected to fall to 768. Newer Vipers are also being moved to replace older aircraft.

The type remains useful because the Air Force is adding AESA radars and electronic-warfare suites to at least some aircraft. However, older models will begin reaching their service-life limits in the 2030s, creating the replacement question.

Combat-coded fighters are aircraft assigned within the force structure for combat missions. The Air Force had 1,168 of them at the start of Fiscal Year 2026. Its new target is 1,509 by 2035, an increase of 341 aircraft. The target does not include the hundreds of Collaborative Combat Aircraft drones the service also wants by then.

The planned fleet would be approximately 40 percent F-35s, 40 percent F-15s and F-16s combined, and 20 percent F-22s and F-47s. The A-10 fleet is also excluded from the new figure, with the last A-10s expected to retire by 2030.

This goal is larger than the current force and reflects an expansion plan. Last year’s report sought 1,558 aircraft eventually and 1,369 by Fiscal Year 2030. The new plan therefore changes both the target number and the expected mix of fighters.

The Air Force says it has time because the older F-16s are expected to reach the ends of their service lives during the 2030s, not immediately. That gives planners years to define missions, compare aircraft, and decide how many replacements are needed. Tabor warned against waiting until the issue becomes urgent, but said an immediate decision is unnecessary.

The service is also extending the usefulness of current Vipers. Some are receiving AESA radars and electronic-warfare suites. Newer F-16s from squadrons moving to the F-35 are being transferred to units that operate older aircraft, helping replace the most aging jets.

Other planned purchases will expand the fighter fleet. The Air Force expects new F-35As, F-15EXs, and F-47s to drive growth. This breathing room does not remove the problem; it allows a deliberate choice before older F-16 retirements accelerate in the 2030s.

Buying more F-16s is only one possibility. The Air Force is considering a broader “spectrum of capability” for replacing aging Vipers. That phrase means officials may compare different aircraft or combinations of capabilities instead of selecting a direct one-for-one replacement.

The service already expects new F-35As, F-15EXs, and F-47s to drive fighter-fleet expansion. Its proposed 2035 structure groups F-15s and F-16s together at approximately 40 percent, while F-35s make up another 40 percent. F-22s and F-47s together account for about 20 percent.

The article does not identify a final replacement design or detailed mix. A service spokesperson said planners have not yet defined precise mission requirements or the full spectrum of options. Collaborative Combat Aircraft are also planned in large numbers, but the article treats them as a separate addition rather than part of the 1,509-fighter count.

The article presents the future force as a mix rather than a single replacement fleet. Newer F-16s can move into units that need fresher Vipers, while upgraded older F-16s remain useful through improved sensors and electronic warfare. F-35As, F-15EXs, and F-47s are expected to drive overall fighter expansion.

The planned 2035 mix is approximately 40 percent F-35s, 40 percent F-15s and F-16s combined, and 20 percent F-22s and F-47s. This describes the force structure, not a detailed division of combat missions. The article does not specify exactly which aircraft will perform each role.

CCA drones are separate from that calculation. The Air Force wants hundreds of them by 2035, but they are not included in the 1,509 combat-coded fighter figure. Their addition suggests the future force will include both crewed fighters and uncrewed aircraft, though the article gives no further role breakdown.

An aircraft’s service life is the period during which it can operate safely and perform its intended missions. It is not determined by age alone. A fighter that has flown heavily may face limits sooner than one with fewer flight hours, even if both were built in the same year.

Flight hours create wear, while repeated stress can cause structural fatigue in the airframe. Spare-parts availability also matters because difficult or expensive repairs can make an older aircraft harder to sustain. Upgrades can extend usefulness by improving radar, electronic warfare, communications, or other systems.

The article reflects all four pressures. Older F-16s are expected to reach their service lives in the 2030s, but the Air Force is upgrading some with AESA radars and electronic-warfare suites. It is also transferring newer Vipers to replace older ones. These steps buy time, but they do not eliminate eventual replacement decisions.