FY26 defense bill boosts budget by $8B, largely bypassing last
Breaking Defense • • nation
Key Points:
- House and Senate appropriators agreed on an $838.7 billion defense budget for fiscal 2026, increasing Pentagon funds by $8.4 billion over the request but rejecting tens of billions in additional funding sought by the Defense Department.
- The bill partially funds multiyear munitions procurement, adding $1.8 billion and approving eight munitions programs, but falls short of the Pentagon’s $28 billion request amid concerns over documentation and budget offsets.
- Significant funding shifts include a $897 million increase for the Navy’s F/A-XX fighter program, $1.1 billion for the Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail radar plane, and $642 million added to the Space Force’s procurement budget, alongside cuts in
