Congress Approves $839B Defense Bill Boosting Next-Gen Fighters and Submarines

Lawmakers released a conference version of the fiscal 2026 defense bill totaling $839 billion, restoring funding for the Navy’s F/A-XX and increasing the Air Force’s F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance program, including about $3.9 billion for both programs (roughly $3B for the F-47 and $972M for the F/A-XX). The bill also preserves the E-7 Wedgetail at about $1.1B, aligns F-35 purchases with Pentagon plans (47 aircraft in 2026) while funding sustainment and Block 4 upgrades, backs Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider at $1.9B, and expands shipbuilding and missile programs, including the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM.