SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: OK, all right, so I'll start with a brief overview. Senior Military Official and I will kind of go back and forth, and then we'll hand it off to you all for questions.
So, the President's FY '26 National Defense Budget requests $1.01 trillion, which is a 13 percent increase from FY '25 enacted levels. This includes $848.3 billion for DOD's discretionary budget and $113.3 billion in mandatory funding for DOD via reconciliation totaling $961.6 billion total for the Department of Defense.
This historic defense budget prioritizes strengthening homeland security, deterring Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, revitalizing the US defense industrial base and maintaining our commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The FY '26 DOD budget is a 13.4 percent increase over FY '25 with significant growth across all military departments.
The budget does include the $113 billion in mandatory reconciliation funding, which I'm sure we'll talk about, which prioritizes the president's priorities including shipbuilding, missile defense, munitions and quality of life improvements for our warfighters. Going into the details of it, the budget request includes $5 billion in funding for southern border operations.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Let's talk about Golden Dome for America. The President's Budget for FY '26 includes $25 billion for Golden Dome. Comprehensive Missile Defense Initiative is to address the most catastrophic threats facing the United States including ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missiles and other advanced aerial attacks.
This funding makes an initial investment in Golden Dome, including increased procurement of interceptors such as Patriot, development of novel intercept capabilities including space-based systems, a down payment on advanced sensors and integrated command and control systems and left of launch defeat initiatives.
The nuclear enterprise also is in modernization, so the FY '26 Budget requests approximately $60 billion for nuclear enterprise to sustain and modernize all three legs of our triad. It remains a foundation of our national defense.
Major investments include $10.3 billion for the B-21 bomber, $11 billion for the Columbia-class submarine, $4.2 billion for Sentinel ICBM and $2 billion for the SLCM-N.
Going and switching to air power. The FY '26 Budget maintains F-15EX production requesting $3.1 billion and 21 aircraft preserving industrial base capabilities while leveraging the platform superior payload capacity, long-range capabilities and complementary to stealth fighters. F-35 procurement is reduced from 74 to 47 aircraft while maintaining minimum production rates.
With increased funding for Block 4 modernization and significant investment in spares of about $1 billion to address sustainment and readiness challenges. F-47, the first crewed sixth generation fighter is moving forward with $3.5 billion in funding following President Trump's March 2025 decision to proceed with Boeing's development.
The Navy's FA-XX program will maintain minimal development funding to preserve the ability to leverage F-47 work while preventing oversubscription of qualified defense industrial base engineers.
The department is canceling the E-7 Wedgetail program due to significant delays with cost increases from $588 million to $724 million per aircraft and survivability concerns in a contested environment while investing in alternate solutions including space-based capabilities and adding additional E-2D aircraft.
Shipbuilding and naval expansion, the budget request includes funding for 19 new ships, 14 over FY '25, demonstrating our commitment to naval modernization. With significant investments across multiple vessel classes to include two Virginia-class submarines of about $11 billion, one Columbia-class submarine, also $11 billion.
Submarines and nuclear-powered vessels represent a strategic advantage for the United States with the DOD supporting improvements to the maritime industrial base as directed by executive order restoring America's maritime dominance. The budget also includes $2.5 billion for nuclear shipyard productivity enhancements.
Our FY '26 Navy request maintains 287 battle force ships across key platforms.
Switching gears to long range weapons including hypersonics. The budget invests $6.5 billion in conventional and hypersonic munitions, increasing long range fires with the procurement of nearly 2,000 critical weapons, many of which will be produced at the maximum industrial base capacity.
The '26 budget also invests over $3.9 billion in hypersonic weapons, restarting production of the Air Force's successful Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon, better known as ARRW, and supporting the Army's fielding of the first operational Long Range Hypersonic Weapon Battery or LRHW by the end of FY '25.
In Space and cyber, the budget provides $40 billion for the US Space Force representing more than A 30 percent increase from FY '25. It will fund vital space-based capabilities supporting our Golden Dome Initiative, space control and resilient combat credible architectures. These investments are essential to ensuring and achieving space superiority.
FY'26 also invests $15.1 billion for cyber security to counter unacceptable cyber threats eroding US and Allies military advantage, ensuring joint all domain maneuvering while protecting US interests in cyberspace.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: The budget also prioritizes funding in the defense industrial base, a core strategic asset that provides and sustains our military's technology, equipment and supplies. The budget includes an additional $1.3 billion for industrial based supply chain improvements, an additional $2.5 billion for missiles and munitions production expansion and $1.2 billion for the Office of Strategic Capital Loan Program to attract private investment in national security projects.
The budget also includes critical investments for our submarine industrial base, focusing on supplier development, shipbuilder infrastructure and workforce development to maintain our undersea advantage against China. For innovation in RDT&E, the Department's FY '26 S&T request of $20.3 billion is an 8 percent increase from FY '25 focusing on developing capabilities such as hypersonics and quantum computing that advance the technical superiority of the American military to counter emerging threats.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: And looking at our military readiness and training at nearly $160 billion, the FY '26 budget request funds DOD readiness to a historic high to meet the planned employment of forces. With our warriors and families, the budget includes 3.8 percent military pay raise that provides a competitive compensation package to build a resilient and ready force.
The FY '26 budget also invests in quality-of-life improvements such as 5 billion for unaccompanied housing for our service members.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: The budget also reflects the outcome of the secretary's directed relook of the FY '26 budget, which identified nearly $30 billion in FY '26 efficiencies and reductions including $2.6 billion by eliminating wasteful and unnecessary spending on DEI, climate change and misaligned security assistance programs. $13.8 billion targeting bureaucratic excess through reshaping and optimizing the civilian workforce, reducing contracts for advisory and assistance services and cutting travel costs.
And 12.6 — $12.7 billion by reducing redundant lower priority and low impact programs. These funds along with the contract cap and grant savings identified as part of the department's collaboration with DOGE have been realigned into high priority programs, increasing lethality and readiness. The budget also includes $1.8 billion for audit related activities with significant new investments of $200 million for automation and AI and $150 million for business systems replacement to accelerate financial statement audits.
These investments will enable the department to achieve an unmodified audit opinion by December 31st, 2028, strengthen accountability of defense resources and ensure appropriate support reaches our warfighters. So, with that, we'll open it up for any questions you all have.
MODERATOR: Do we have AP here this morning? AP?
Q: Tony Bertuca, Inside Defense. One of the most important questions, I think, sort of hanging over this particular budget submission is that it's $1 trillion, but only counting reconciliation. Next year the department can't count on reconciliation. What are you projecting then will be your top line for FY '27?
Are you going to drop below this trillion dollars and go to what the base is for FY '25 or are you — is your new top line for '27 going to be the $961?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yeah, that's an excellent question. Thank you.
So that has obviously been an active discussion among this team in the beginning of this new administration. The president has said $1 trillion Defense Budget and so that's what we did for FY '26. We have not yet discussed what that will look like for '27. But unless the president's tone changes, I imagine we'll stick with $1 trillion for national defense spending.
MODERATOR: Tony.
Q: Tony Capaccio with Bloomberg for the — senior defense official and the military. So, the February memo from the secretary talked about an eight percent reallocation of funds. Can you give some examples of what programs were lost funding and which programs gained funding from this reallocation of eight percent?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, so as I said in the overview, there were a number of efficiencies that we found. Some of them were found through civilian workforce reductions through the deferred resignation program, which was the voluntary separation of — of employees. So that was a significant number of the savings. In terms of the specific programs, and I might hand it off to the Senior Military Official here, in a second.
There were a number that we looked at through the normal budget process, including some strategic divestments and reductions in the program. So, Senior Military Official, I'll hand it over to you.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: So, the realignment was really a realignment and those — that eight percent went specifically into programs that were going to best benefit the warfighters. So, something like the F-47 that you look at space-based sensing, Golden Dome, the munitions investments that we want to do. And then our things like unaccompanied housing as well and taking care of our force.
Those are all investments that were done across the board where we were able to realign those funds and pump up some of those areas where we felt like we needed to add resources and really go after the competition that we're in today for both adding homeland defense capabilities and countering the PRC.
Q: And let me ask you, was the F-35 cuts — the cut, was that an example of an eight percent of a program that was deemed not in your portfolio — not in your priority list, that was part of the eight percent that was shifted to other funds?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: No, the eight percent really did not. It's not about F-35. For F-35, it was about a program where the fastest way to get our war fighters a jet that they could go flying in was to make those jets come up and be an up and ready status. So, a lot of that money got shifted over into sustainment to make sure that we have a strong supply base and that we're able to do the operations and maintenance that we need to do on those jets.
And then the other part is really looking at Block 4 capabilities. We're dedicated Block 4. We want to make sure that stays on timeline. And that we wanted to reinvest those resources to keep that effort going.
Q: [inaudible] for sustainment, basically.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Sustainment and then Block 4 advanced capabilities.
Q: Thanks.
MODERATOR: I'm going to go to the phones. Mike Stone, Reuters.
Q: Thanks, appreciate it. Can I have the 050 and the 051, without the reconciliation in it? And do you have a plan for if reconciliation doesn't pass?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, 051, without reconciliation, is $848.3 billion as I previously stated. And total national defense without reconciliation is $892 billion. But it's important to note here that the department when we built the FY '26 Budget as part of the relook and the secretary's guidance built the budget to $961 billion. So that is, you know, what we've been saying is one budget, two bills approach for the FY '26 budget.
So, in terms of what the plan is, if reconciliation does not pass, at this moment, we're very excited to see the Senate's progress on reconciliation. Very happy that the House has been collaborating on the defense portion. And we have been working with HASC and SASC on those — the defense portions as well.
This is our request for what we would like to see in reconciliation and what we'd like to see in the discretionary base. And it will go through the normal Congressional budgeting process from here and we'll work with Congress on the details on why the department is requesting certain things, in our $961 billion dollar request.
MODERATOR: I'm going to take one more from the phone. Howard Altman.
Q: Yeah, thanks for doing this. I'm wondering if you can — a couple of things, can — if you can provide a number of total fleet size for the F-15EX? And then, are you looking to just get rid of the FA-XX?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Do you have the total number for F-15?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Well, I just have our request for this year that we went through.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Right.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: But I don't know if the Air Force has that. Go ahead.
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: So, for the procurement in this FY '26 Budget is $3 billion that is set to procure the 21 tells. That will give us a fleet size of 129 TAI.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: And then for FA-XX, which I think was the second part of your question, we are maintaining a request of $74 million for the FACs program in this budget to complete the design of that aircraft. We are — we did make a strategic decision to go all in on F-47 with a $3.4 billion request for that program. due to our belief that the industrial base can only handle going fast on one program at this time.
And the presidential priority to go all in on F-47 and get that program right while maintaining the option for FA-XX in the future.
MODERATOR: Well, I'll go to the side of the room. Noah.
Q: Thank you. Noah Robertson from Defense News here. Congressional leaders, especially in testimony over the last couple of weeks, have been very critical about the way that this budget is being presented in the two bills, but one budget framework that you've laid out. And their primary concern is that the delivery and two bills including one, that's one time in reconciliation will cause for an inconsistent demand signal for the companies that are actually making many of the weapons that are included in that.
How do you anticipate that will change the ability of companies to deliver the weapons? And then secondarily, I know you're counting on the reconciliation bill to pass, but if it doesn't, I do want to press again what will make space in a future budget for the things and reconciliation that are included there, say the warships or other naval procurement that would be included in FY '27 budget, how will that then make it into the FY '26 budget or future budgets itself?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I see. So, to your first question on the demand signal it's sending to industry, I mean, reconciliation, it's the first time the Department of Defense has received mandatory money like this. It's ten-year money with a lot more flexibility than the — the average discretionary dollar provides. It's often colorless. And it gives us.
And ten-year window that industry often asks us for a longer-term window than the one-year budget cycle that we always are on. So, I would argue that reconciliation is actually a stronger demand signal for those companies that have capabilities in the reconciliation bill. Also given the timeline that reconciliation is on, should it pass, it will be delivered faster to the department than the FY '26 discretionary base.
So those programs will actually be on a much faster and more stable timeline with a — with a better demand signal over the long term. In terms of how we're planning for — and I think this goes to the question earlier on what is '27 and how does this all kind of shake out in the end. I mean, I think again, the president and the administration's commitment to reconciliation is what led the department to be so confident in putting so many critical capabilities in the reconciliation bill.
Knowing that there will be, you know, a question in '27 on how we're going to pull the rabbit out of the hat again? But for this year, we're very confident that our 961 budget in these two lanes will give the department what it needs for the China fight.
Q: Hi, Brandi Vincent with Defense Scoop. Thank you all for doing this. For you two, I'm wondering if you can share the total ask for artificial intelligence capabilities in the 2026 budget? And how that compares to 2025? And then from the services can you expand a little bit if there's any, particularly from a technology perspective, autonomy, AI, otherwise new top lines or big ups that investments are potentially going to happen?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, I'm actually really glad you asked this question because this budget is the first year that we are calling out specifically our autonomy line in its own section. So, it will be $13.4 billion for autonomy and autonomous systems. And I can break that down for you if interested. So, it's for unmanned and remotely operated aerial vehicles, $9.4 billion.
Autonomous ground vehicles $210 million, on the water autonomous systems $1.7 billion, underwater capabilities $7.34 million and enabling capabilities, you know, the autonomy software, the things that underlie all these systems working and operating together with a central brain, $1.2 billion, to — work across all those platforms on autonomy.
MODERATOR: I'll go to this side.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: I'll go ahead and for Navy, thanks ma’am, that's a great point. And I think on AI I think you'll see that throughout many of our —many of our different weapon systems. And we're — really happy with — where we're going with that. And on autonomy in itself a big increase for the Department of Navy with $5.3 billion across all systems.
And that's $2.2 billion above FY '25. So that includes procuring three MQ25 which we should — which we'll have our — first flight in FY '26. And then, additionally, an additional unmanned air, new efforts in unmanned undersea and then in unmanned surface to include procuring MUSVs, our medium unmanned surface vessels. So, we have a lot of efforts across all domains.
MODERATOR: Yes.
Q: Hi, Mallory Shelbourne with USNI News. For Senior Navy Official, can we expect to see a 30-year shipbuilding plan this year?
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: We're still looking at that. And talking about that with OSD and OMB. The challenge will be here that back that we're providing — a one year. When you see the justification material, you'll see a one-year budget. It's difficult to provide a 30-year shipbuilding plan when we're not showing [inaudible].
Q: OK, and if I could follow up. I mean, how are you, you know, shipbuilding requires a very consistent demand signal. So how are you handling that with industry? And you know, just on specific programs, carriers and frigates. There's no money for frigate and it's unclear obviously if there's money in the out years for carriers. Are you asking for AP money for future carriers?
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah, so we — I think that the signal for this is — and maybe I'll leverage on what you talked about for reconciliation. I think for all of us it's helpful to talk about these together because I think it does confuse industry when we talk about, well, it's in this bill or that bill. I mean, this is our present — our PB, our — these two bills.
We have 19 ships. In the budget year, we're procuring two Virginia’s, one Columbia, Otago's, two D — two DDG-51 LPD/LHA, nine LSMs and two TAOs. And then on carriers, really happy with what we are doing with carriers. We're — first, we're providing a first year of AP for CVN82. So, as you recall, we have 80 and 81 in construction.
First year of AP over $600 million for CVN82. That — that will certainly, I believe, provide the best — guiding light for industry to start moving out.
And we learned, I think, we learned from 80 and 81 that the best thing we could do is get AP out early. And that's what we're doing.
Q: And frigate, are we supposed to assume that's on pause?
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: I think we're still waiting for some — still looking at that waiting on administration decision on that.
Q: OK, thank you.
Q: Hi. Jen Jensen with Defense News. This is for the Army official. I'm wondering if you could walk us through a little bit of what we're going to see in the FY '26 Budget when it comes to executing the many things laid out in the Army secretary's memo that came out last month that there were a variety of program cancellations on the table, for instance.
So, can you tell us what are some of the main major programs that you have canceled in FY '26? Where are we going to see — accelerations, maybe increased budget to do some of the things that you'd like to accelerate?
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: No, thank — thanks for the question. The Army Transformation Initiative or ATI as we've coined it is a strategic shift, really. Reinvesting resources to ensure our future dominance as part of the Joint Force. It's a deliberate invest to divest. So, you'll see both, approach. We made some tough choices to shed outdated systems and programs that no longer meet our demands of the modern battlefield.
For example, we're divesting from programs like the Paladin Integrated Management, legacy anti-tank missiles, Gray Eagle UAVs and Humvees. We're also reducing ineffective programs like the M10 Booker, the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the improved turbine engine. We're also merging headquarters as well as taking structure changes in our civilians to gain those efficiencies to reapply and put back into the Army Transformation Initiative.
To provide critical warfighting capabilities, we're going to deliver loitering munitions to five brigades in fiscal year '26. Accelerating the development of the future long range assault aircraft and the M1a3 Abrams. And were providing the Infantry Squad vehicle to seven mobile Brigade combat teams. For some examples of what you're asking for.
MODERATOR: I'm going to go to the phone. Ellen Millhiser, Synopsis Newsletter, please.
Q: Hi. This is for the Senior Defense Official. There's always rumors that you all are going to severely cut back USUs, Uniformed Services University or eliminate it altogether or eliminate the research arms. Could you tell me what this budget does for those accounts?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I will need to get back to you on those specific accounts. But we'll get back to you today with an answer to that.
Q: I appreciate it.
Q: Thanks. Chris Gordon, Air and Space Force Magazine. I have a couple questions. I'll split it up by Air Force and Space Force. On the Air Force side, what is the funding plan for CCAs? And Congress has moved to add production capacity for the B-21. Does the Department of the Air Force agree with that or plan to adjust the production rate to buy more aircraft?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, so — first CCAs. The budget for this year is $807 million and that is really to fund accelerated platform development efforts to sustain autonomy development, kind of back to the autonomy question earlier through the through Project Venom. And continued refinement of concepts of operation with experimental operation units.
So that's — what is in for CCA as far as, B-21, the — you're asking if we have essentially, are we — matching the bill? Is that — what you're asking me?
Q: Yeah, I mean, what's the — Air Force is —
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah.
Q: The comprehensive plan to —
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, we actually matched the bill at the $4.5 billion between base and reconciliation, or that's the reconciliation piece, right? And that is to speed up production of B-21 Raider. And we appreciate that effort.
Q: And my Space Force question, obviously that's a large increase in the budget. Specifically, what is that going towards? Is that Golden Dome specific? Research and development? I mean, can you flush that out a little more?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, so certainly so a lot of — a lot of that money is certainly classified. Of course, the Space Force will play a big part. And Golden Dome for America is certainly a space — a huge aspect of space-based missions. Currently, until General Guetlein becomes confirmed, the — breakout and fundings for the — those efforts and what's going on with maturity and development, I'd have to defer to the department on.
Q: OK. Could you characterize it as like R&D money though? Or is that what — I mean, like just the general characterization of what that — you know, what the extra $20 billion is?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Oh, yeah, yeah. So, a lot of that is in the mandatory spending. $13.8 billion of that. The R&D on the baseline side or direct side goes down by about $3 billion but a lot of that mandatory spending is — classified, yeah.
MODERATOR: We're doing pretty good on time.
Q: Constantine with Military.com. So, you guys mentioned that you're spending — planning to spend $5 billion for unaccompanied housing barracks. Can you guys break that number out by service? And then I have a follow up question.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: I could go here first for — Department of Navy, unaccompanied housing $4.2 billion and now this is across — I'm going to take this across, I'm going to say FSRM and MILCON. So, both are sustainment and our MILCON. So that — so you'll see maybe the numbers won't all add up, but — $4.2 billion for Department of the Navy.
And that's a $2.6 billion increase from '25. So, a big commitment. As you know, recall the Commandant in the Marine Corps talked about last year barracks 2030 and we continue that. And then the Navy is as well. So, $2.6 billion increase. So, that's $1.3 billion total for Navy and $2.9 billion for Marine Corps.
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: For the Army, in the military construction, $411 million for three barracks at Fort Wainwright, Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Campbell. Additionally, we've got over $2.1 billion allocated to barracks FSRM to get better quality of life for our soldiers.
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, so FSRM for the Air Force is $2.5 billion, it includes $101 million for unaccompanied housing. As far as quality of life, we have a focus on child development centers as well as dormitories. So, there's child development centers at Eglin, Tinker and Travis as well as dormitory projects at Barksdale, Cannon and Goodfellow.
Q: Thank you. And my follow up question is, you know, during the first Trump administration, we saw a willingness from the administration to look to these pots of money to sort of pull from them to fund activities at the border. Can you guys offer any assurances to service members that would ostensibly benefit from this funding that that will not happen during this budget cycle?
Or what you guys are doing to ensure that that money as you want to allocate it is actually spent on barracks and quality of life improvements?
SENOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, I — can take that question. So, in FY '25, obviously with the CR and the pressing needs at the border and elsewhere that the new administration was confronting, we did work with the services to discuss what projects might be deferred just for one year to enable us to reprogram that money and use it for the border and for other purposes as well.
The intent of this large plus that you see in this request is to backfill those projects that were pushed out a little bit to make room for those emerging national security needs.
Q: Thank you.
Q: Thank you for doing this. I'm Mike Brest with the Washington Examiner. For the senior defense official, you used the phrase misaligned security assistance programs earlier. I'd love for you to flesh that out a little. Talk about what programs in particular that's in reference to and specifically Ukraine, if you could elaborate there? Thank you.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yeah, so I will have to defer a lot of the answers to Policy, the undersecretary of Defense for Policy. They ran a process alongside our budget process to look at the foreign assistance programs that they manage and decide which ones were no longer aligned with this administration and which ones could maybe be burden shared.
And which ones the United States wanted to — or the Department of Defense, rather wanted to continue to work on. So, two in particular that were reduced are the Coalition Support Fund and the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. Four that were maintained International Security Cooperation program at $1.2 billion.
Counter ISIS trained and equipped $3.58 million, overseas humanitarian disaster and civic aid $101 million and border security $192 million are programs that were maintained in the foreign assistance budget for the Department of Defense Security Assistance Budget.
Q: Could you elaborate a little bit on the change in perspective as it relates to the Ukraine assistance?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I would need to defer to Policy on that question.
Q: Hi. Ashley Roque with Breaking Defense. I have a top-level question and then for the Army. Within this budget, could you sort of walk us through how you're planning for operations to continue at the border and possible contingencies on the — around the world? Is there going to be, need to be a supplemental or something to backfill? Are you going to have to pilfer for O&M potentially?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, part of the intent of having the $5 billion request is to have a set aside pot of money for the border security needs that we've met to avoid to the question earlier having to move from FSRM, O&M or other accounts to do that. So, the $5 billion we're requesting is for border security for our troops to – actually, be there as well as for detention support.
Q: And for contingency around the globe?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFIAL: Oh, contingencies around the globe.
Q: Yeah.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: It does also include funding for EUCOM and CENTCOM to maintain our current posture or current posture at the time of the request in both of those regions which were surged over the past few — years. So, it does maintain those. In terms of other contingencies, if you have more specific questions, happy to get back to you.
Q: And then for the Army official. I mean, the Army has done a massive shake up in the past few weeks and months. And without a fit up, what sort of questions are you grappling with as you sort of go through to FY '27, and making sure that you're investing in the right places or giving the right signals to industry of what to invest in?
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: No, thanks for the question. I think the broadly the invest and divest we did internally with resources that we had. We did get a little help from — OSD and supporting the overall effort to get after it. So, we looked at the entire plan from that aspect of it of how can we help ourselves to get after getting after those enabling capabilities to make us more leaner, more capable force.
Q: Meredith Horton with Jane's. For the Army, I'm specifically seeing an agile portfolio management with several budget line items for that. Do you have a total for all of the agile funding concepts? And are there any that are not listed in the — procurement document that we have right now?
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: No, great question. I'm just doing some quick math. It's a little over $2.3 billion total for agile funding effort across three programs, Electronic Warfare, Counter-UAS and then UAS. Those three platforms, so. And you will see how we basically merged budget lines within those programs to enable us the agility to be able to respond to what's happening.
One out there on the battlefield as we're seeing taking lessons learned. And two, what industry is able to provide as these capability — these capabilities evolve very, very quickly.
Q: And just a quick clarification on the — there's two budget lines for electronic warfare, one is electronic warfare, and one is electronic warfare, agile. What's the difference?
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: The electronic warfare, agile is within the figure that I gave you for the $2.3. So, the — other electronic warfare lines did not pertain to our — what we were trying to do in support of our efforts in the agile funding.
Q: Well, it's listed under the agile funding, so that's why I asked.
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: Let me see what you're talking about — make sure I'm understanding your question here. Are you talking about the box we had in the chart?
Q: The box in the chart?
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: We'll talk afterwards, and I'll brief you.
Q: Thank you.
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: I don't want to waste more time.
MODERATOR: Yeah, so we'll go ahead and take that question.
Q: Valerie Insinna with Breaking Defense. I've got a Navy question and an Air Force question for you guys. So first, just quickly clarifying on FA-XX. It sounds like it's canceled. It sounds like source selection is not going to take place. What is going to happen with the money that's in reconciliation? Are you guys going to try to push that elsewhere?
Or will you guys use that for the design work? And then I have an Air Force question after that.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, with FA-XX, their — I would say there's still a decision pending on FA-XX, but the budget request we do include $74 million that we're requesting to complete the design work of FA-XX. In terms of what's in reconciliation, that's a future question pending the administration's decision.
Q: And then on the Air Force side, can you kind of talk through whatever aircraft divestments you guys have cooking? And what sort of the rationale for those?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: So, the — probably key one that — most folks will — want to be aware of is the Air Force will divest the remaining 162 A-10 aircraft. They were originally set to divest over a time period into '28. We're set to divest all of those in '26. And then the savings that would come from that would be in the out years versus in — FY '26. It would require $57 million in FY '26 to go ahead and move forward with those divestments which is in the budget.
Q: Sorry, what was the last thing you said, which was what?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: It would require $57 million in '26 to make that divestment happen, yeah.
MODERATOR: We're doing good on time. I've got a couple more on the phone, and then I'll come back in the room. Thomas Novelli with Military.com.
Q: Howdy, can y'all hear me, OK?
MODERATOR: Yes.
Q: OK, great. First question is given — the current recruiting environment we're seeing from all the services where many of them are on track to hit their recruiting goals sooner than anticipated. Are there any cuts included in the budget to things such as recruitment bonuses, hiring new recruiters, and anything just in recruiting enterprise as a whole? And this is a question for all the services. And then I have a follow up question after that.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I'll do the overall answer to your question and then defer to the services on the specifics in terms of recruiters and those things. I will say, yes, you know, as the secretary and the president have said, we're very encouraged by the recruiting strength that we've seen over the past few months. And the FY '26 budget does include an end strength — increase of 25,000 personnel — military personnel above the FY '25 level. In terms of the specifics by service, I defer to my colleagues.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Hi, Thomas. Senior Navy Official, Department of Navy. Let me — for us, we're — going to maintain the funding that we have for recruiting. Our recruiting and our advertising budget goes up about 5 percent from '25 to '26 to maintain the progress that we have. For the Marine Corps — for both Navy and Marine Corps, fantastic results over the last several months.
The Marine Corps continues to retain well over 100 percent, about 108 percent and as their debt goes up. And on the Navy side, we want to keep our foot on the gas. And so, this budget would aim to increase our Navy strength by 6,000 as we continue to close gaps at sea for our warfighters out fighting today.
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: And bonuses and incentive pay. We routinely adjust our bonuses and special pay throughout the year. So, I wouldn't want to give you an answer now that would end up changing later on that. However, you will see in the budget a roughly six percent decrease in marketing and advertising from all components. And that's really just taking a look at efficiencies within our marketing plans.
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: So, I'm going to have to take that one specifically for — and get an answer back to you.
Q: OK. Follow up question, you mentioned the two separate pots of money for the border mission as well as Golden Dome. Is that being fully funded through reconciliation? So the money that is set to be set for that, is that going to be, you know, fully expected from Congress? And how much of that is DOD baseline?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, for both Golden Dome and border, our request is that both of those funds be in reconciliation pointing again to the — flexibilities and longer availability of that money that I spoke to previously. So yes, in both of those, we would request that they be in reconciliation.
MODERATOR: We've got a couple of more minutes. I would like to take one from the right side of the room. Yes?
Q: Walt White with the Daily Caller News Foundation. I just wanted to ask if you could give like a general amount for how much is being invested in both defensive — or defense against drones and also offensive drone capabilities? And I also wanted to ask how much of that, if any, is geared towards drone swarm technologies at all?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, for counter-UAS, the total request is $3.1 billion across the services, and I can turn it to them in a moment to go to their specific portions of — the counter-UAS budget. For offensive — maybe we'll do that first and then let me get you the number on offensive drones. I'll let you answer that.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah, for counter-UAS, across Department of the Navy, as I talked before, so you're saying how much do we have in the budget for — that? Is that your question?
Q: Yeah, offense and defense, just —
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah, so as — I said before, so $5.3 billion of unmanned systems for Department of the Navy. $1.3 billion in counter-UAS. That's a significant increase in '25 — from '25. And that's looking at a whole range of lethal and non-lethal systems — that would have to — I'd have to go through all the details later with you.
SENIOR ARMY OFFICIAL: For the Army, over $1.1 billion total for the capabilities there to include short range reconnaissance as well as our long-range reconnaissance and the launched effects to get after that efforts.
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: I'll have to take that and get the exact number for you.
Q: Thank you.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: In terms of the offensive drones, I'll — refer back to the $13.4 billion for autonomy. That's all largely geared towards those platforms, yes.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: And can I follow up on that, that, you know, as we have just a reminder for all of us is we have two carrier strike groups out in CENTCOM today. And learning as we go. I think we're — you know, they're engaged in combat every day. And we have Ford that is just now deploying. Ford will — deploy with some additional counter-UAS capabilities that — and then we'll continue to look.
Look and learn and develop those capabilities as we go forward. And that's — part of what we're learning here with our PB '26 budget.
MODERATOR: OK, so we're at 45 minutes now. We're going to go for another five minutes. And I'll try to get to your questions.
Q: I had some rapid-fire questions for all three of you. What decisions remain pending on the FX? And for Navy, double checking on the F-35 was that 74 to 47? And for the Navy, how many of the 19 ships are actually new SCN? I — that was a little unclear.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: OK, I'll tell you about that.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: For FX, we're waiting for a decision from secretary of the Navy, secretary of Defense and the president. That's an active conversation right now.
Q: To do what though?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Whether to continue with the program or not?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: We're going to 47 jets.
Q: Yeah, it was 74 to 47.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: I think it was 74 to 47. I'll check it.
Q: OK. Thank you.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah, and for Navy, so 19 battle force ships. So — I'll just do them real quick. And I know that just in interest of time one more time, Columbia, two Virginias, Otago's, two DDGs, one LPD, one LHA, two TAOs and nine LSM's.
Q: Which of those are new though? And again, in the accounts, they're not all new, are they? Some of them are modifications or?
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: No, those are all new Battle Force ships.
Q: OK, 19, huh.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah. So that's — yes, that's a significant increase if you remember five in '25. That wasn't a very fun rollout for me. And so, 19 in '26. And I'm happy to talk to you about that.
Q: [off-mic]
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: It ended up being five, that's right, that's right. That was projected nine in '26. And now we're procuring 19.
Q: That's a big jump. Thank you.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: Yeah, thank you.
MODERATOR: And I'm going to take the last one from the phone. Pearl, Defense Web.
Q: Thank you so much for taking my question. I do have a question overall for the controller. And then I'd like to hear the services chime in as well. This is on security cooperation and AFRICOM. So, what have you budgeted for AFRICOM? And what is your rationale? And for — how does the FY '26 budget request prioritize funding for security cooperation with your African partners, particularly as we're seeing the instability and this growing strategic issues, counterterrorism and other risks? Thanks.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: We don't have that here.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yeah.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, we'll have to get back to you on how much is for AFRICOM. I didn't really catch the rest of the question. I'm not sure if you guys did.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: You want to buy service security cooperation?
Q: Security cooperation, yeah.
SENIOR NAVY OFFICIAL: We'd have to get back to him.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: We'll get back to you on that.
Q: I just want to follow up really quick on FA-XX. I understand that that decision to continue is with the president, the SecDef and the SecNav. But you said something at the beginning that you were going to lean into the F-47 and continue with the design for now for FA-XX with that money. Is it possible that you're considering an F-35 situation where you have like a variant of the F-47 that could be for the Navy? Is that something that's under consideration here?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: At this time, I would say pretty much everything is under consideration to get the TAC air capability that our warfighters need as quickly as possible. And that's really what we're looking at the most is the schedule of all these programs.
Q: OK. Thank you.
MODERATOR: We have time for maybe two questions.
Q: This is just a cleanup question since all the budget docs aren't out. Do you have the top line numbers for the services?
[crosstalk]
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: All right. So, $961.6 billion total. $197.4 billion for the Army, $292.2 billion for the Navy, $301.1 billion for the Air Force and $170.9 for defense wide. They're not correcting me, so I think that's right.
Q: I'm sorry, did you say Space Force?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I just said Air Force, but we can break down Space Force and Air Force separately.
Q: OK. Thank you. I don't see in the budget documents published already a separate program for the European Deterrence Initiative. Is that not going to continue? And if so, what will happen to the priorities funded within it?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: We'll get back to you on that one.
Q: Can you break down Air Force and Space Force?
SENIOR AIR FORCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, I can break that down for you. So what we call the Air Force Blue Budget, so for the Department of the Air Force is $249.5 billion, which includes $211 billion in discretionary, $38.6 billion in mandatory. For the Air Force Blue portion of that, $209.6 billion. And for the Space Force $39.9 billion, so right at $40 billion.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Let — me get to your EDI question. I just got the number handed to me. $2.4 billion for EDI is in the budget. And then I think Senior Military Official wanted to.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: I just wanted to go back to the question. The department is dedicated to six generation capability, so that's where we're going. How that's — achieved? Right now, the F-47 is on path to be the leading agent of that. But sixth gen is where we want to go, so I just want to make sure that that's clear.
Q: OK, so how — I mean can you flesh that out for me a little bit? Because if you say the FA-XX might — if you're not — might not move forward with the Navy's sixth gen, how are we to interpret that?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: You interpret it as the F-47 is our priority. He and that we're looking at the industrial base's capacity and how that program goes as we move forward.
Q: OK, I understand. Thank you.
Q: Hi. Thanks. Chris Gordon, again. I just to follow up on the E7 and the rationale behind that. There's some question obviously whether the space-based capabilities are ready. So, I just wanted to get the perspective high level and possible from the Air Force level on the reasoning why you felt comfortable making that choice?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: So E7 is perfectly great platform, but what we wanted to do was we wanted to be able to span the globe. That's a space-based capability. So, if we want to go there, we had to do a large investment in space-based sensing. Which also supports Golden Dome, so it covers homeland defense, it covers Indo-Pacific, which is our priority theater and also services the globe.
So that was the decision. So that investment was pushed to that way. We are bullish on space. And we think that that's a capability that can be achieved actually faster than the E7 will deliver at this point. The E7 itself capabilities, but it has some issues as is moving forward with development certainly has a role to play in other theaters, but there had to be a decision between which way we had to go. So strong push for space.
MODERATOR: All right. These are the final two. We need to keep them short. Yes?
Q: Again, just do you still have the top line number for the Missile Defense Agency's Budget.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: We can get back to you on that.
Q: OK.
MODERATOR: Last question.
Q: Yeah, and when can we expect to see J books? And what's the rollout look like for that?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I believe some J books were posted last night. And so, we're — turning them out from here. So, the initial tranche went out yesterday and we'll keep posting them daily hopefully.
Q: Are you going to post charts for the overall DOD like the discretionary and the mandatory like in line like next to each other?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So, we will have a reconciliation J book that will define exactly what our request is for reconciliation. I'm not sure that in all the — J books, I don't believe that we're going to have it broken down that way. It'll be one total number. But let me look to my team to correct me.
Yes, on the front page of the J books, you'll see an excerpt from the dashboard exhibit which breaks out the bay, the — discretionary from the reconciliation or mandatory. And then throughout the J book where they're applicable, there will be comments about it. But largely, the detailed breakout of the budget line items associated with reconciliation will be a separate J book.
MODERATOR: OK. I cannot take any more questions. However, I just wanted to offer an opportunity for our panelists to follow up with anything. OK. That's it.
Q: If you could break down Golden Dome by program element? If you do a separate sheet, there's so much interest in this. You gave broad categories, but if you could break it down by PE element that would be really helpful to the public.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Right. No, absolutely I appreciate that. And as my colleague pointed out, we are waiting for General Guetlein to be confirmed into his role as the direct program manager for the Golden Dome. And a lot of the details are currently classified. So we are working as quickly as possible to get that information public. And we have briefed Congress in classified settings and will continue to do so.
Q: Thanks.
MODERATOR: If you have questions beyond what we shared today, you can feel free to contact me or the service PAOs. That concludes today's brief. Thank you.
UNKNOWN 1: Thank you all.