The bills passed last week as part of the deal that ended the longest U.S. government shutdown in history include billions of dollars for major Air Force and Navy programs.

This includes funds to build new aircraft carriers and submarines, facilities needed for new stealth bombers and nuclear missiles and research and development spending to keep a major airborne command and control program alive.

The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2026 includes up to nearly $200 million in Air Force research and development for the E-7 Wedgetail program, in an effort to keep its rapid prototyping efforts on track and help it stay on schedule to transition to production.

It also shifts another $200 million from unobligated Air Force aircraft procurement funds to the E-7, bringing the Wedgetail’s t

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