5 Shocking Changes Transforming The US Air Force In 2025: The Rise Of The Sixth Generation

The United States Air Force (USAF), or *Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos*, is undergoing its most profound strategic and technological overhaul in decades, with major developments crystallizing in late 2025 and early 2026. These changes are not just incremental updates; they represent a fundamental pivot away from legacy systems to a future dominated by sixth-generation airpower and advanced strategic deterrence capabilities. This massive modernization effort, driven by the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget request, is reshaping the entire Total Force structure, from aircraft inventory to global sustainment strategies, to counter peer-level adversaries. As of December 2025, the USAF is balancing aggressive aircraft divestment—including the controversial full retirement of the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II—with the rapid acceleration of top-tier programs like the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform and the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber. The goal is a smaller, more lethal, and highly networked force capable of operating in contested environments.

The Great Divestment: USAF’s FY 2026 Budget Overhaul

The core of the Air Force's current transformation is its ambitious and controversial FY 2026 budget request, which explicitly prioritizes future capabilities over maintaining an aging fleet. This financial roadmap outlines a clear strategy: shed legacy aircraft to free up billions of dollars for cutting-edge technology.

1. The Full Retirement of the A-10 Warthog and F-15E

The most significant and debated proposal in the FY 2026 budget is the plan to retire a total of 340 aircraft, with a major focus on the venerable A-10 Thunderbolt II, known affectionately as the "Warthog." The Air Force is seeking a full A-10 retirement to eliminate the costs associated with its operations and maintenance. * A-10 Thunderbolt II: The Air Force argues that the close air support mission can be handled by newer, more survivable platforms, and the A-10 is too vulnerable in a modern, high-threat airspace. * F-15E Strike Eagle: The budget also proposed divesting a number of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles, a move that Congress is actively trying to block in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). * Budgetary Impact: By divesting these aircraft, the Air Force aims to redirect funds toward key modernization initiatives, including the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program and the B-21 Raider. The proposed divestments have created friction with Congress, which often views the retirement of popular aircraft like the A-10 as a loss of capability, even as Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin pushes for a future-focused inventory.

The Sixth-Generation Revolution: NGAD and the F-47

The most groundbreaking news of 2025 is the rapid acceleration of the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which will define air superiority for the coming decades. This initiative is not just a single aircraft but a system-of-systems that includes the manned fighter, unmanned collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), and a new battle network.

2. Boeing F-47 Selected as the NGAD Platform

In a major announcement in March 2025, the Air Force selected the Boeing F-47 as the winning design for the NGAD Penetrating Counter-Air (PCA) platform. * Program Status: The NGAD program has officially moved into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, signifying a firm commitment to acquiring the sixth-generation fighter jet. * Technological Leap: The F-47 is expected to incorporate advanced stealth, next-generation engines, and highly networked digital capabilities, moving beyond the fifth-generation technology of the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. * Congressional Support: The U.S. Congress has fully backed the development of the Air Force's F-47 program, ensuring its funding remains a top priority.

Strategic Deterrence and Global Reach

The Air Force's commitment to modernization is most evident in its strategic bomber fleet and its focus on long-range, survivable strike capabilities. The introduction of the B-21 Raider is the cornerstone of this effort.

3. B-21 Raider: Multiple Prototypes in Active Flight Testing

The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber, designed to be the backbone of the U.S. nuclear-capable bomber fleet, is moving rapidly toward operational status. * Current Status: As of late 2025, multiple B-21 prototypes are operational and engaged in active flight testing, demonstrating the maturity of the sixth-generation technologies integrated into the platform. * Target Deployment: While the initial combat readiness schedule is aggressive, the Air Force is targeting full operational capability for the jet around 2028. The B-21 is designed to penetrate the most sophisticated and contested airspaces, a capability critical for strategic deterrence against Russia and China. * Fleet Expansion: The B-21 is expected to eventually double the U.S. nuclear-capable bomber fleet from 60 to 120 aircraft, replacing both the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit.

4. New Long-Range Munitions and Sustainment Strategy

Modernization extends beyond aircraft to the weapons they carry and the infrastructure that supports them. The USAF is making significant investments in advanced munitions and a comprehensive sustainment roadmap. * Joint Strike Missile (JSM): In December 2025, the Air Force awarded Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace a substantial contract for Lot Two of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM). This long-range, precision-guided missile enhances the anti-surface capabilities of fighter platforms like the F-35, a critical requirement for a potential conflict in the Pacific theater. * AF Sustainment Center Plan: The Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) released its 2025 Strategic Plan, a forward-looking roadmap that emphasizes global sustainment capabilities, readiness, and modernization of maintenance operations. This focus on logistics and readiness is essential to support the new, high-tech fleet in dispersed, contested environments.

The Future of Air Force One

While not a combat asset, the replacement of the iconic presidential aircraft is a significant logistical and financial undertaking that reflects the Air Force's broader procurement challenges.

5. Air Force One Delivery Delayed

The program to replace the current VC-25A aircraft (known as Air Force One when the President is aboard) with the new VC-25B is facing delays. The Air Force provided an updated estimate, confirming that the new delivery timeline has been pushed back. This delay highlights the complexities and challenges inherent in managing massive, high-profile defense acquisition programs. The *Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos* is clearly on a path of radical transformation. By divesting from older platforms like the A-10 and F-15E, the service is clearing the way for a future defined by the F-47 sixth-generation fighter and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. This strategic shift, backed by the robust FY 2026 budget, is aimed at ensuring the USAF maintains its air dominance and strategic deterrence capabilities well into the 21st century.