WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Department of War has released President Donald Trump's massive Defense Budget, which proposes to raise total defense-related spending to $1.5 trillion for Fiscal Year 2027.
The largest request in the post-WWII era, the budget aims to strengthen U.S. military readiness against threats from Iran, China and Russia.
The Defense Budget for FY27 marks a 42 percent increase over current funding levels.
'We are delivering on President Trump's commitment to expand American military dominance for decades to come,' said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 'Previous administrations underinvested in our military while our enemies grew stronger and more dangerous, so we are now changing the game. This budget builds this arsenal without compromising readiness that will ensure we remain the world's premier fighting force, we protect the homeland, and we create peace through strength now and into the future.'
Jules W. Hurst III, performing the duties of the War Department comptroller, said, 'This 42 percent increase will supercharge our defense industrial base by expanding production of major weapon systems, while strengthening supply chains and supporting tens of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses. It secures our homeland and military advantage through investments in the Golden Dome missile defense system, drone dominance and space superiority.'
About 52 percent of the total budget request is aimed at buying munitions, planes, tanks and ships, Hurst said.
The FY27 defense budget will be the largest investment in military capabilities in over a generation, worth $750 billion.
'Large defense firms are critical to our national security, but they rely on tens of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses to provide the parts, components and materials to larger firms,' Hurst said. 'For example, the F-35 program alone has over 2,100 suppliers, and more than half of these are American small businesses.'
The viability of those businesses is critical to the strength of the U.S. military - without the defense industrial base, the U.S. military can't get the materiel it needs to defend the nation.
'This budget invests over $100 billion to strengthen that ecosystem'.
Space Force Lt. Gen. Steven P. Whitney, War Department joint staff director of force structure, resources and assessment, said the budget request includes $71.4 billion to sustain and modernize all three legs of the nuclear triad - $16.2 billion for the Columbia-class submarine, $6.1 billion for the B-21 Raider bomber, $4.6 billion for the intercontinental ballistic missile program and $1.5 billion for the long-range standoff weapon.
On the sea, Whitney said this budget provides $65.8 billion for 18 battle force ships and 16 support ships as part of the 'Golden Fleet' initiative.
On the land, the FY27 budget proposal requests funding to expand production capacity and build stockpiles for Patriot, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, precision strike missiles and midrange capability weapons.
In the air, the budget includes funding to ramp-up production of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft to 85 - up from 47 in FY26 - and increased production of the KC-46A Pegasus tanker.
Whitney noted that support to the joint force is also at the top of this budget, with a focus on housing for U.S. troops.
The budget also requests a pay increase for service members. Specifically, it requested a 7 percent increase for military personnel in the grade of E-5 and below, a 6 percent increase for personnel in the grades of E-6 to O-3 and a 5 percent increase for members in the grade of O-4 and above.
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