FY2026 Defense Budget

US Military Spending 2026

By Roman Kukhalashvili · Updated Apr 21, 2026 · 12 sources

Edited by Roman · Apr 21, 2026

US military spending in 2026 is approximately $1.04 trillion, representing 3.4% of GDP and roughly 13.7% of the federal budget. That works out to about $2,885 per American. The figure combines $893 billion in Pentagon appropriations under the FY2026 NDAA with $152.3 billion added by budget reconciliation.

$1.04TTotal FY2026 Budget

$2,885Per Capita

3.4%% of GDP

13.7%% of Federal Budget

Where the Money Goes

FY2026 DoD request breakdown by military department ($961.6B total base request; enacted appropriations $893B). Air Force and Navy each command roughly 30% of the base topline.

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Department of the Air Force

Includes the US Air Force and US Space Force. FY2026 notable items: $10.1B for B-21 Raider bomber, $5.3B Sentinel ICBM R&D.

$031.3%

sailing

Department of the Navy

Covers the US Navy and US Marine Corps. Includes $9.6B for Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines plus $1.4B industrial base investment.

$030.4%

military_tech

Department of the Army

End-strength, operations & maintenance, procurement for Army and Army National Guard. Largest active-duty service branch by personnel.

$020.5%

hub

Defense-Wide

Missile Defense Agency, SOCOM, DARPA, DIA, DLA and other defense agencies not tied to a single service branch.

$017.8%

Beyond the Pentagon — Total National Security Spending

The Pentagon topline is only part of the picture. Adding Veterans Affairs, nuclear weapons at the Department of Energy, and Homeland Security pushes total national security spending above $1.4 trillion per year.

local_hospital

Veterans Affairs (VA)

$369.30B

FY2026 VA budget submission including healthcare ($134B discretionary) and mandatory benefits.

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Nuclear weapons (DOE/NNSA)

$25.00B

National Nuclear Security Administration — warhead life extension, Sentinel/Columbia/B-21 warhead work.

shield

Homeland Security (DHS)

$107.40B

FY2026 DHS appropriations (64.9% increase over FY2025) — border, Coast Guard, CISA.

Historical Context (FY2022–FY2026)

Five-year trend in discretionary national defense spending. FY2026 represents a more-than-17% year-on-year increase once reconciliation funds are included — the largest nominal jump in a non-wartime year.

FY2022

Enacted; Ukraine aid supplementals not included

$838.00B

FY2023

NDAA authorization; inflation-driven O&M growth

$858.00B

FY2024

Discretionary NDAA topline

$883.00B

FY2025

FY2025 enacted NDAA

$895.00B

FY2026

Appropriations ($893B) plus reconciliation ($152B)

$1.04T

How US Defense Spending Compares

The US remains by far the world's largest military spender — more than the next nine countries combined.

public

US vs ChinaUS spends ~3.3x China

US FY2026 ~$1.05T vs China official 2026 budget ~$277B (SIPRI estimates China true spending $330B–$450B).

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US vs next 9 countriesMore than next 9 combined

The US spends more on defense than China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, UK, Germany, France, Japan, and South Korea combined (PGPF).

donut_large

Share of global military spending~40% of world total

The US accounts for roughly 40% of military expenditures by countries around the world (PGPF analysis of SIPRI data).

flag

NATO 2% GDP targetUS at 3.4% GDP

US defense spending sits at ~3.4% of GDP, well above the NATO 2% floor. Poland and the Baltic states lead non-US NATO members.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the US spend on military in 2026?

US national defense discretionary spending totals approximately $1.045 trillion in FY2026 — $893 billion in standard defense appropriations plus $152.3 billion from the FY2025 budget reconciliation act that the Pentagon committed to obligate by end of FY2026. The core DoD topline is ~$895 billion.

What is the US defense budget for fiscal year 2026?

The enacted FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $890.6 billion for national defense — $8.0 billion more than the White House requested. Discretionary appropriations came in at $893 billion, with an additional $152.3 billion available via reconciliation.

How much is the Pentagon budget in 2026?

The Pentagon (Department of Defense) FY2026 base request was $892.6 billion, with enacted appropriations landing near $893 billion. Including reconciliation authority, total Pentagon resources for FY2026 reach approximately $1.045 trillion — the largest peacetime defense allocation in US history.

What is US military spending per capita?

US military spending works out to roughly $2,885 per American in FY2026, dividing total national defense discretionary spending (~$1.045 trillion) by the US population of ~338 million. For the base DoD topline alone, per-capita spending is ~$2,647.

What percent of GDP is US military spending?

US military spending is approximately 3.4% of GDP in 2026, well above the NATO 2% floor. This is below Cold War peaks (above 9% in the 1960s) but higher than the 2017 low of 3.1%.

How does US military spending compare to China?

The US spends roughly 3.3 times what China does on defense. China's official 2026 military budget is ~$277 billion (1.90 trillion yuan), though SIPRI and the Pentagon estimate true Chinese spending at $330–$450 billion once off-budget R&D, paramilitary forces, and foreign procurement are included.

How much does the US spend on military per year?

In FY2026 the US will spend ~$1.045 trillion on national defense. Including Veterans Affairs (~$369B), Homeland Security (~$107B), and nuclear weapons at the Department of Energy (~$25B), broader national security spending exceeds $1.4 trillion per year.

Is US military spending increasing?

Yes. FY2026 represents a more-than-17% year-on-year increase over FY2025 once reconciliation funds are included, according to Arms Control Association analysis. The underlying discretionary topline grew modestly (near-flat nominal growth), but reconciliation added $152.3 billion in multiyear authority.