Pentagon Budget 2025: USAF requests USD217.5 billion in FY 2025, up US…

The USAF's acquisition budget request includes 42 additional F-35As, such as the one seen here refuelling from a KC-10 tanker above an undisclosed location in 2019. (US Air Force)

The US Air Force (USAF) requested a total of USD217 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 presidential budget request, up USD3 billion, or 1.6%, from the FY 2024 request. Pass-through funding, which goes to other agencies despite being in the USAF budget (not included in the figure) is up to USD45.1 billion from USD44.2 billion.

The service's largest request is for operations and maintenance (O&M), which is set to consume USD75.6 billion, or 40% of the total budget. That is followed by military personnel (MILPERS) costs at USD41.7 billion (22% of the total); research, development, test and, evaluation (RDT&E) with USD37.7 billion (20%); procurement at USD29 billion (15%); and military construction (MILCON) with USD4.1 billion (2%).

The budget's year-on-year growth is led by O&M, the request for which increased by USD2.1 billion. Operating forces expenses make up the largest increase in the request, going from USD61.3 billion in FY 2024 to USD62.5 billion in FY 2025. Weapons system sustainment for the service's 111 weapons systems also increased by USD900 million to USD18.8 billion; the request funds 87% of the service's needs, according to USAF budget documents. Funding for airlift sustainment was increased by USD509 million “to support US Transportation Command operational requirements”. Flying hours are also up to a total of USD1.1 million, funded by USD9.2 billion. An additional USD400 million was to implement aspects of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which enables the service to deploy rapidly to remote locations.