Defense MRO - Air Force Fighter Depot Maintenance: Market Size & Forecast 2026

The global military aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market for Air Force fighter aircraft is valued at USD 6.0 billion in 2025 (base year), growing at a CAGR of 4.2% through 2032. This market is characterized by increasing depot maintenance demands for legacy fighters (F-16, F-15), complex sustainment challenges for advanced platforms (F-35, F-22), and a shift toward digital and predictive maintenance technologies. U.S. Air Force depots drive nearly 40% of global demand, with Europe and Asia-Pacific as secondary growth centers. > **Analyst Take.** The single most under-appreciated dynamic is the growing disconnect between legacy fighter sustainment costs and modernization budgets. While F-35 costs dominate headlines, F-16 and F-15 depots consume 60% of current Air Force MRO resources but receive <5% of modernization funding. Procurement must decouple fighter sustainment

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