USAF Fighter Inventory Below Congressional Minimum, CRS Report Says
A Congressional Research Service report finds the U.S. Air Force is operating 47 fighters below the statutory minimum of 1,145, even as the service plans to grow the fleet to 1,558 by 2035.
The U.S. Air Force is operating below the fighter inventory minimum set by Congress, according to a Congressional Research Service report published on September 4, 2026. The report, titled *Air Force Fighter Force Structure: Background and Issues for Congress*, notes that Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink informed Congress on May 5, 2026, that the service had 1,098 fighters, which is 47 aircraft below the statutory minimum of 1,145 required under Title 10, Section 9062, of the U.S. Code.
The CRS report also examines the Air Force's long-term plan to expand its combat-coded fighter fleet. In October 2025, the Department of the Air Force submitted a report to Congress proposing a goal of 1,558 aircraft by 2035. The Congressional Research Service assesses whether the Air Force can achieve that force structure and what actions Congress may need to take to support or modify the plan.
The discrepancy between the current inventory and the statutory minimum is highlighted against the backdrop of the larger planned fleet. The Air Force has not publicly disputed the figures cited by the CRS.
Sources
- theaviationist.comUSAF Fighter Fleet Is Below Congressional Minimum