This amount 3.8 times higher than the previous year that boosts production of a key interceptor missile supplied to Ukraine to counter cruise missiles and drones, according to a Sputnik correspondent's analysis of the Pentagon's FY2027 budget reports.
The request comes as the Pentagon seeks a historic $1.5 trillion in total budgetary resources for FY2027, a 44% increase over the $1 trillion enacted for FY2026. Among the fastest growing programs in the request is the AMRAAM, a key interceptor used by Ukraine through F-16 fighter jets and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), both of which were supplied by the United States. The AMRAAM saw its latest batch reportedly delivered to Kiev in February 2026.
These new deliveries to Ukraine were likely facilitated by Biden-era procurement or the newer NATO-funded Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative. While the Trump administration has since suspended direct security assistance and reprogramming models for Kiev, the massive FY2027 request suggests a prioritized effort to rebuild US inventories strained by those previous transfers.
The surge in FY2027 is distributed across both services, with the Air Force requesting $2.06 billion for 1,317 missiles and the Navy requesting $804.3 million for 494 missiles. This represents a stark departure from FY2026, when the combined request was only $751 million for 464 missiles, marking a 282% increase in funding.
Budgetary records show that the Air Force has served as the primary vehicle for replenishing stocks sent to Ukraine. While the official FY2025 procurement cost for the Air Force was $389.8 million, internal justifications reveal that this figure did not fully reflect the effort, as the service received separate tranche funding via reprogramming actions. These included $112.9 million for Lot 39 missiles and $12.5 million for parts obsolescence specifically linked to Ukraine.
The Navy's procurement has seen an even more dramatic relative increase. After spending $191.5 million in FY2025, the Navy's request dropped to $69.9 million for FY2026, before leaping to over $800 million in the current request. This sharp trajectory combined with the Air Force's growth from $680.7 million in FY2026 to $2.06 billion in FY2027.