Air Force spending on acquisition-investment in weapons, equipment, research, and development-reached a modern peak in 1985, when the outlay hit a towering $95 billion in current dollars. Then came a long roller-coaster ride, with spending going down (to $35 billion), back up (to $75 billion), and back down (to $60 billion). Now, assuming that sequestration can be avoided, USAF's plans are headed back up. DOD's Future Years Defense Program has put acquisition on a trajectory to immediately reverse the recent declines, to hit about $80 billion in the early 2020s, and then level off.
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