The Department of the Air Force FY 2021 budget builds toward the future Air and Space Forces We Need to win against any adversary, across all domains. It is designed to meet both today’s and tomorrow’s challenges by supporting military readiness and investing in leading-edge innovation for the future fight. For the first time, this budget request includes the newly established United States Space Force which will unify, focus, and accelerate the development of doctrine, capabilities, and expertise to outpace future threats. The Department of the Air Force FY 2021 budget request is approximately $169 billion dollars.
The U.S. Air Force FY 2021 budget request is approximately $153.6 billion dollars, a decrease from the FY 2020 request due to the transfer of funding to the U.S. Space Force. The FY 2021 U.S. Space Force budget is approximately $15.4 billion.
The FY 2021 Air Force Operation & Maintenance (O&M) budget includes a more than $770 million dollar increase from the FY 2020 enacted funding. The baseline budget prioritizes connecting the joint force across all domains, advances integration of Pilot Training Next, and continues to fund Weapon System Sustainment (WSS) to sustain targeted readiness gains, while continuing to emphasize support to our Airmen and their families. The FY 2021 Space Force O&M budget request includes funds for mission operations and sustainment of day-to-day operations, resources for the headquarters and field centers for doctrine development, warfare, intelligence, professional military education, and personnel.
The FY 2021 Air Force Military Personnel (MILPERS) budget grows Total Force end-strength by an additional 1,500 Total Force Military personnel. In FY 2021, the Space Force MILPERS budget of $800 million remains in the Air Force MILPERS appropriation. Most personnel previously assigned to Air Force Space Command, a Major Command within the Air Force, are detailed to the U.S. Space Force to perform its missions in this budget year.
The FY 2021 Air Force Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) budget invests heavily in innovation to address future security challenges in alignment with the National Defense Strategy (NDS). Understanding the need to connect the joint force now, this budget increases funding for Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) experimentation to empower digital modernization of our Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) networks. The FY 2021 Space Force RDT&E budget invests to protect and defend current space assets, build more resilient and defendable architectures, and develop offensive capabilities to challenge adversary space capabilities. This request increases funding for development of the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) constellation to provide missile warning and battlespace awareness that is more survivable against adversary threats.
The FY 2021 Air Force Procurement budget seeks to satisfy national security requirements by investing in more lethal and cost-effective capabilities, as well as modernization and recapitalization efforts. To meet those requirements, the budget funds 5th generation aircraft such as the F-35A, and invests in modernizing the refueling fleet with the KC-46A. The Space Force Procurement budget funds acquisition of spacecraft and terminals, ground control systems, launch services, and related communications security and training products.
The Department’s FY 2021 Military Construction (MILCON) budget request contains $854 million for Military Construction with resources allocated for new weapon system beddowns, existing infrastructure investment, and Planning and Design for future projects. Space Force MILCON projects will continue to be budgeted and executed out of the Air Force MILCON Appropriation until determined otherwise.
The FY 2021 Military Family Housing budget request continues efforts to provide quality homes and support services to service members across the globe.
The Department of the Air Force serves as an integral Joint partner in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), responsible for leveraging the domains of air, space and cyberspace. We continue to lead the fight to counter violent extremism while still heavily engaged in Afghanistan. Current operations continue to require engagement of numerous aircraft. In addition to Direct War and Enduring OCO requirements, which remain from prior years, the FY 2021 budget request includes a significant portion of traditional baseline requirements categorized as OCO for Base.