Air Force Must Boost Fighter Jet Fleet to 1,900 by 2030, Freezing Guard Cuts Until Then

The new Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025 is basically a mandate to supersize the Air Force’s fighter jet collection and make sure the Air National Guard (ANG) doesn't get left behind during the upgrade process.

The New Bottom Line: More Jets Required

If you thought the Air Force was done buying planes, think again. This bill pushes back the deadline for meeting minimum fighter jet inventory levels from 2026 to October 1, 2030. But it doesn't just push the date; it raises the bar. The minimum total number of fighter aircraft required jumps from 1,800 to 1,900, and the number of primary mission aircraft (PMAI) goes from 1,145 to 1,200 (Sec. 2). That's 100 more jets the Air Force has to keep ready.

Now, here’s the fine print: The Secretary of Defense can temporarily dip below these new minimums for up to two years, but only when a unit is swapping out old planes for new, advanced ones (recapitalization). Even then, the total fleet size can never drop below 1,800 jets. This exception is essentially a two-year grace period for units transitioning from, say, older F-16s to F-35s, acknowledging that you can't fly both at once. They just have to tell Congress which units are getting the upgrade (Sec. 2).

The Guard Gets a Modernization Shield

For the Air National Guard, this bill is a major stability play. From the end of 2024 through October 1, 2030, the Air Force cannot retire, cut funding for, or label as ‘excess’ any fighter jet assigned to the Guard (Sec. 5). It puts a hard freeze on the size of the ANG fighter fleet, ensuring they keep at least the 25 squadrons they currently have. This means the Guard won't face the uncertainty of having their units dissolved or planes cut while the active duty component is busy upgrading.

The only exceptions to this freeze are if a plane is literally damaged beyond repair—think a major crash—or if the Guard unit is getting a new, advanced fighter. In that case, they can swap out one old jet for one new jet (Sec. 5). To ensure the ANG stays current, the Air Force must create an annual recapitalization plan detailing how the Guard will be upgraded at the same pace as the active force, aiming for completion by 2030 (Sec. 6).

Prioritizing Upgrades and Boosting Oversight

This legislation prioritizes putting new, high-tech planes (like the F-35 or Next-Generation Air Dominance fighters) into the hands of existing operational units. The rule is simple: for every four new jets the Air Force accepts, at least three must go to a squadron that is already active and “service retained” (Sec. 4). This ensures the investment immediately strengthens the existing fighting force, rather than being used to stand up entirely new units.

To keep everyone honest, the bill introduces a serious accountability measure. The Secretary of the Air Force must now submit quarterly reports to Congress until 2030 detailing every new jet received, who sold it, which component (Active, Reserve, or Guard) got it, and how many old jets were retired (Sec. 3). If the Secretary misses a reporting deadline, there’s a direct penalty: no funds can be spent on the Secretary’s travel until the report is delivered. That’s a pretty direct way to ensure the paperwork gets done on time.