Annual Report on Weapons and Platforms of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force

Key Chapter Title List

1. Bombers
2. Fighters and Attack Aircraft
3. Special Operations Aircraft
4. C3/BM/ISR
5. Tankers
6. Airlift Aircraft
7. Helicopters
8. Trainer Aircraft
9. Experimental and Test Vehicles
10. Unmanned Aircraft Systems
11. Strategic Weapons
12. Long-Range Standoff Weapons
13. Air-to-Air Missiles/Rockets
14. Air-to-Ground Weapons
15. Area Denial Weapons
16. Precision-Guided Munitions
17. Space Systems
18. Glossary

Document Introduction

This report is a professionally compiled yearbook based on publicly available information, systematically presenting the current status and development trajectory of weapons and platforms for the United States Air Force and Space Force around Fiscal Year 2025. As great power competition intensifies, particularly with the U.S. explicitly prioritizing the Indo-Pacific region and high-end confrontation in its National Defense Strategy, the modernization of its air and space combat power, the life extension and replacement of legacy platforms, and the integration of new-generation system families have become key to assessing its global power projection and deterrence capabilities. Through detailed technical parameters, deployment data, upgrade programs, and future plans, this report provides professional readers with an authoritative reference framework for understanding the composition and evolutionary trends of the U.S. military's air and space combat system.

The main structure of the report is rigorous, detailing chapters by equipment function and platform type. The bomber section not only analyzes upgrades to existing platforms like the B-1B and B-52H (such as the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program upgrading it to the B-52J) but also highlights the development progress and procurement target of over 100 units for the next-generation B-21 Raider stealth bomber, clearly outlining its role as the core of future penetrating strike, paired with the B-52J in a high-low mix to maintain strategic deterrence into the 2050s. The fighter chapter systematically details the process from the gradual retirement of the A-10C, to the F-35A achieving full operational capability and advancing Block 4 upgrades, to the F-15EX Eagle II achieving initial operational capability as a rapid replacement for the F-15C/D, while also noting the continuous agile upgrades for the F-22A to ensure advantage against high-end threats. Chapters on special operations, C3/ISR, tankers, and transport aircraft depict a support and sustainment system undergoing deep modernization, emphasizing interoperability and connectivity (such as widespread installation of MUOS anti-jam satellite communications and Link 16 datalinks) and survivability in contested environments.

Regarding weapon systems, the report provides a detailed enumeration of the inventory, integrated platforms, and development status of systems ranging from strategic nuclear weapons (e.g., the B61-12 precision-guided nuclear bomb, LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile), long-range standoff strike weapons (e.g., the AGM-158 JASSM family and its anti-ship variant LRASM), to various tactical precision-guided munitions (e.g., JDAM, SDB I/II, and the new GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator). The report pays particular attention to the test progress and challenges of hypersonic weapons (e.g., AGM-183A ARRW) and the development of next-generation area denial weapons (NGAAW) for countering swarm targets. These elements directly reflect the enhanced long-range, precision, and penetrating strike capabilities the U.S. military is developing to address Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) challenges.

The analytical foundation of this report is entirely based on the collation and integration of publicly available information such as equipment performance parameters, contract awards, test milestones, deployment adjustments, and budget documents. Its value lies in placing scattered technical information within a unified strategic framework, clearly illustrating the overall picture of how the U.S. air and space forces maintain and expand their technological advantage through a combination of legacy system upgrades and leap-ahead development. For professionals studying U.S. military strategy, defense industrial capabilities, equipment technology development, and Indo-Pacific regional security dynamics, this yearbook provides a rare, data-rich source of primary information and an assessment baseline.