Keeping the F-22 going will preserve about 90,000 to 95,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, Lockheed Martin program manager Larry Lawson said yesterday in an interview. It’s a great stimulus package, he said: The money takes effect immediately, and there’s no uncertainty about how many jobs will be affected, or how much it will cost. The F-22’s parts are made in 44 states, with big clusters of employers in Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Washington state, and California. Although final assembly is in Marietta, Ga., the majority of F-22 jobs are in California, Lawson noted.
President Donald Trump is proposing a 13 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal 2026, growth that could mean the first ever $1 trillion defense budget, according to a document obtained by Air & Space Forces Magazine.