The U.S. Air Force is again considering buying newly built F-16s, potentially an upgraded F-16G, as it looks for lower-cost ways to close fighter capacity gaps in its ageing fleet. The concept would draw on Lockheed Martin’s production line in Greenville, South Carolina, and could emerge as part of planning for the service’s fiscal 2028 budget and five-year spending programme.
The idea would return the Air Force to new-build F-16 procurement for the first time in more than 20 years, if it moves forward. The current discussion centres on an enhanced Block 70 derivative rather than a simple refresh of the legacy F-16C/D fleet, reflecting efforts to preserve force structure while other fighter programmes remain constrained by production limits.
Air Force officials have not defined a formal requirement or shortlisted options, and no procurement decision has been made. The concept has circulated before, but it has resurfaced as the service reviews future spending priorities and weighs whether additional F-35s alone can cover its longer-term fighter needs.