The Air Force’s major programs for Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation collectively see a $2.3 billion boost over the enacted 2016 budget. Science and technology accounts remain flat at about $2.5 billion, but several programs increased sharply. The Long-Range Strike Bomber doubled to $1.36 billion; updates for the F-22 Raptor increase from $232 million to $388 million. Developments for the F-15E increased from $206 million to $357 million, and the Presidential Aircraft Replacement (Air Force One) more than quadrupled to $351 million. The Combat Rescue Helicopter development doubled from $156 million to $319 million in the FY17 request. Some of the increases were offset by the wind-down of the F-35’s engineering and manufacturing development effort, which declined from $587 million in FY16 to $450 million in the FY17 request.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
