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 Aerial Systems
11. Strategic Weapons
12. Long-Range Standoff Weapons
13. Air-to-Air Missiles/Rockets
14. Air-to-Ground Weapons
15. Area Weapons
16. Precision-Guided Weapons
17. Space Systems
18. Glossary

Document Introduction

This report is a professionally compiled yearbook based on publicly available information, aiming to systematically present the current status and development trajectory of weapons and platforms for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force around Fiscal Year 2025. As major 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 forces, 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, with chapters detailing equipment by 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's "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, clarifying its role as the future core of penetrating strike and its planned "high-low mix" with the B-52J to maintain strategic deterrence into the 2050s. The fighter chapter systematically outlines the process from the gradual retirement of the A-10C, to the full operational capability and Block 4 upgrade progression of the F-35A, 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 to 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 profound 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 details the inventory, integration 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 series 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 weapons (NGAAW) for countering swarming targets. These aspects directly reflect the U.S. military's enhanced capabilities for long-range, precise, and penetrating strikes 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 combined approach of "integrating old and new" and "leapfrog 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 and data-rich source of primary information and an assessment baseline.