November 20, 2014
Discretionary SpendingOption 24
Function 050 - National Defense
Replace the Joint Strike Fighter Program With F-16s and F/A-18s
| Billions of dollars | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2015-2019 | 2015-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Change in Spending | |||||||||||||
| Budget authority | 0 | -4.9 | -4.7 | -4.9 | -5.0 | -3.5 | -4.7 | -4.4 | -4.5 | -4.4 | -19.5 | -41.0 | |
| Outlays | 0 | -1.0 | -2.1 | -3.0 | -3.8 | -4.2 | -4.4 | -4.3 | -4.3 | -4.3 | -9.9 | -31.4 | |
Note: This option would take effect in October 2015. Estimates of savings displayed in the table are based on the fiscal year 2015 Future Years Defense Program and the Congressional Budget Office’s extension of that program.
The Department of Defense (DoD) has ordered 179 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and plans to purchase 2,264 more. Under this option, DoD would cancel the F-35 program and instead purchase the most advanced versions of fighter aircraft already in service. The Air Force would acquire 1,763 Lockheed Martin F-16s, and the Navy and Marine Corps would buy 680 Boeing F/A-18s.