| 1 | 1 | | II |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION S. 873 |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | To amend title 10, United States Code, to preserve and recapitalize the |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | fighter aircraft capabilities of the Air Force and its reserve components, |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | and for other purposes. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | MARCH5, 2025 |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | Mr. C |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | RAPO(for himself, Mr. HICKENLOOPER, Mr. RISCH, Mr. KELLY, Mr. |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | B |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | ANKS, Ms. SLOTKIN, Mr. SCOTTof Florida, Mr. PETERS, Mr. YOUNG, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Ms. A |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | LSOBROOKS, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. VANHOLLEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | B |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | ENNET, Mr. PADILLA, Ms. SMITH, and Mr. GALLEGO) introduced the |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Armed Services |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | A BILL |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | To amend title 10, United States Code, to preserve and |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | recapitalize the fighter aircraft capabilities of the Air |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | Force and its reserve components, and for other pur- |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | poses. |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fighter Force Preser-4 |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | vation and Recapitalization Act of 2025’’. 5 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | SEC. 2. MINIMUM NUMBER OF FIGHTER AIRCRAFT IN THE 1 |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | AIR FORCE AND RESERVE COMPONENTS OF 2 |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | THE AIR FORCE. 3 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | Section 9062(i) of title 10, United States Code, is 4 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | amended— 5 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (1) in paragraph (1)— 6 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (A) by striking ‘‘During’’ and inserting 7 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | ‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (2), during’’; 8 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (B) by striking ‘‘October 1, 2026’’ and in-9 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | serting ‘‘October 1, 2030’’; 10 |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (C) by striking ‘‘1,800’’ and inserting 11 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | ‘‘1,900’’; and 12 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (D) by striking ‘‘1,145’’ and inserting 13 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | ‘‘1,200’’; 14 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-15 |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | graph (3); and 16 |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-17 |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | lowing new paragraph (2): 18 |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | ‘‘(2)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), the 19 |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | Secretary of Defense may temporarily reduce the total air-20 |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | craft inventory required by paragraph (1) to enable recapi-21 |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | talization of units transitioning from one combat-coded 22 |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | mission fighter aircraft to a new combat-coded fighter air-23 |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | craft. 24 |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | ‘‘(B) A temporary reduction authorized under sub-25 |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | paragraph (A) shall not— 26 |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3 |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | ‘‘(i) result in less than 1,800 aircraft in the 1 |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | total aircraft inventory of fighter aircraft at any 2 |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | given time; or 3 |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | ‘‘(ii) exceed two years. 4 |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | ‘‘(C)(i) Before authorizing a temporary reduction 5 |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Defense shall— 6 |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | ‘‘(I) provide notification to the congressional 7 |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | defense committees; and 8 |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | ‘‘(II) identify in such notification the specific 9 |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | units to be recapitalized. 10 |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | ‘‘(ii) The Secretary of Defense may satisfy the re-11 |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | quirement for notification under this subparagraph if the 12 |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | Secretary includes such notification in a fiscal-year quar-13 |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | terly report required by subsection (n).’’; and 14 |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | (4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by para-15 |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | graph (2), by striking ‘‘In this subsection:’’ and all 16 |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | that follows through ‘‘The term ‘primary mission 17 |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | aircraft inventory’ means’’ and inserting ‘‘In this 18 |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | subsection, the term ‘primary mission aircraft inven-19 |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | tory’ means’’. 20 |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | SEC. 3. ANNUAL REPORT ON STATUS OF TOTAL FIGHTER 21 |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | AIRCRAFT INVENTORY. 22 |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as 23 |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | amended by section 2, is further amended by adding at 24 |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | the end the following new subsection: 25 |
|---|
| 87 | 87 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 88 | 88 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 4 |
|---|
| 89 | 89 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 90 | 90 | | ‘‘(n)(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of the 1 |
|---|
| 91 | 91 | | enactment of the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapi-2 |
|---|
| 92 | 92 | | talization Act of 2025, and at the end of each fiscal-year 3 |
|---|
| 93 | 93 | | quarter thereafter through September 30, 2030, the Sec-4 |
|---|
| 94 | 94 | | retary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional 5 |
|---|
| 95 | 95 | | defense committees a report describing the status of the 6 |
|---|
| 96 | 96 | | total aircraft inventory requirement for fighter aircraft es-7 |
|---|
| 97 | 97 | | tablished by subsection (i). 8 |
|---|
| 98 | 98 | | ‘‘(2) Each report required by paragraph (1) shall in-9 |
|---|
| 99 | 99 | | clude the following: 10 |
|---|
| 100 | 100 | | ‘‘(A) The overall number of new advanced capa-11 |
|---|
| 101 | 101 | | bility fighter aircraft, fifth-generation fighter air-12 |
|---|
| 102 | 102 | | craft, and next-generation air dominance fighter air-13 |
|---|
| 103 | 103 | | craft received by the Air Force during the fiscal-year 14 |
|---|
| 104 | 104 | | quarter covered by the report. 15 |
|---|
| 105 | 105 | | ‘‘(B) The mission design series prefix of each 16 |
|---|
| 106 | 106 | | airframe received. 17 |
|---|
| 107 | 107 | | ‘‘(C) The vendor from which each new fighter 18 |
|---|
| 108 | 108 | | aircraft was received. 19 |
|---|
| 109 | 109 | | ‘‘(D) The number of new advanced capability 20 |
|---|
| 110 | 110 | | fighter aircraft and fifth-generation fighter aircraft 21 |
|---|
| 111 | 111 | | assigned to units of the Regular Air Force, the Air 22 |
|---|
| 112 | 112 | | Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard during 23 |
|---|
| 113 | 113 | | the fiscal-year quarter covered by the report. 24 |
|---|
| 114 | 114 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 115 | 115 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 5 |
|---|
| 116 | 116 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 117 | 117 | | ‘‘(E) The distribution ratios of new fighter air-1 |
|---|
| 118 | 118 | | craft received from vendors during the fiscal-year 2 |
|---|
| 119 | 119 | | covered by the report and assigned to units of the 3 |
|---|
| 120 | 120 | | Regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the 4 |
|---|
| 121 | 121 | | Air National Guard, including— 5 |
|---|
| 122 | 122 | | ‘‘(i) the percentage of total new advanced 6 |
|---|
| 123 | 123 | | capability fighter aircraft and new fifth-genera-7 |
|---|
| 124 | 124 | | tion fighter aircraft received that were assigned 8 |
|---|
| 125 | 125 | | to each component (Regular Air Force, Air 9 |
|---|
| 126 | 126 | | Force Reserve, and Air National Guard); and 10 |
|---|
| 127 | 127 | | ‘‘(ii) the percentage of aircraft assigned to 11 |
|---|
| 128 | 128 | | each component, disaggregated by mission de-12 |
|---|
| 129 | 129 | | sign series prefix. 13 |
|---|
| 130 | 130 | | ‘‘(F) The number of legacy capability fighter 14 |
|---|
| 131 | 131 | | aircraft retired or divested by the Regular Air Force, 15 |
|---|
| 132 | 132 | | the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard 16 |
|---|
| 133 | 133 | | during the fiscal-year quarter covered by the report, 17 |
|---|
| 134 | 134 | | disaggregated by unit. 18 |
|---|
| 135 | 135 | | ‘‘(G) An identification of fighter aircraft units 19 |
|---|
| 136 | 136 | | scheduled for recapitalization, including any associ-20 |
|---|
| 137 | 137 | | ated authorizations for a temporary reduction in the 21 |
|---|
| 138 | 138 | | minimum total aircraft inventory level for fighter 22 |
|---|
| 139 | 139 | | aircraft established by subsection (i). 23 |
|---|
| 140 | 140 | | ‘‘(H) Any notable trends, issues, or challenges 24 |
|---|
| 141 | 141 | | related to the receipt and assignment of new fighter 25 |
|---|
| 142 | 142 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 143 | 143 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 6 |
|---|
| 144 | 144 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 145 | 145 | | aircraft during the fiscal-year quarter covered by the 1 |
|---|
| 146 | 146 | | report, including any delays, discrepancies, or other 2 |
|---|
| 147 | 147 | | factors that may have impacted such receipt or as-3 |
|---|
| 148 | 148 | | signment. 4 |
|---|
| 149 | 149 | | ‘‘(3) Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be 5 |
|---|
| 150 | 150 | | submitted in unclassified form, unless the Secretary of the 6 |
|---|
| 151 | 151 | | Air Force determines that the inclusion of classified infor-7 |
|---|
| 152 | 152 | | mation in the report is necessary, in which case the report 8 |
|---|
| 153 | 153 | | may be submitted in classified form or with classified an-9 |
|---|
| 154 | 154 | | nexes or sections. 10 |
|---|
| 155 | 155 | | ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if 11 |
|---|
| 156 | 156 | | the Secretary of the Air Force does not submit a report 12 |
|---|
| 157 | 157 | | required by paragraph (1) to the congressional defense 13 |
|---|
| 158 | 158 | | committees by the deadline established by such paragraph, 14 |
|---|
| 159 | 159 | | no funds may be obligated or expended for travel by the 15 |
|---|
| 160 | 160 | | Secretary of the Air Force until the report is submitted.’’. 16 |
|---|
| 161 | 161 | | SEC. 4. RECAPITALIZATION PRIORITIZATION OF AIR FORCE 17 |
|---|
| 162 | 162 | | SERVICE-RETAINED FIGHTER FLEET. 18 |
|---|
| 163 | 163 | | Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as 19 |
|---|
| 164 | 164 | | amended by sections 2 and 3, is further amended by add-20 |
|---|
| 165 | 165 | | ing at the end the following new subsection: 21 |
|---|
| 166 | 166 | | ‘‘(o)(1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure 22 |
|---|
| 167 | 167 | | that for every four new advanced capability fighter air-23 |
|---|
| 168 | 168 | | craft, fifth-generation fighter aircraft, and next-generation 24 |
|---|
| 169 | 169 | | air dominance fighter aircraft accepted by the Air Force, 25 |
|---|
| 170 | 170 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 171 | 171 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 7 |
|---|
| 172 | 172 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 173 | 173 | | not less than three shall be assigned and delivered to a 1 |
|---|
| 174 | 174 | | fighter aircraft squadron of the Air Force that— 2 |
|---|
| 175 | 175 | | ‘‘(A) exists as of the date of the enactment of 3 |
|---|
| 176 | 176 | | the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization 4 |
|---|
| 177 | 177 | | Act of 2025; and 5 |
|---|
| 178 | 178 | | ‘‘(B) is service retained. 6 |
|---|
| 179 | 179 | | ‘‘(2) For each new advanced capability fighter air-7 |
|---|
| 180 | 180 | | craft, fifth-generation fighter aircraft, or next-generation 8 |
|---|
| 181 | 181 | | air dominance fighter aircraft assigned and delivered to 9 |
|---|
| 182 | 182 | | a fighter aircraft squadron under paragraph (1), the Sec-10 |
|---|
| 183 | 183 | | retary of the Air Force may retire a legacy capability 11 |
|---|
| 184 | 184 | | fighter aircraft from that squadron on a one-for-one 12 |
|---|
| 185 | 185 | | basis.’’. 13 |
|---|
| 186 | 186 | | SEC. 5. PRESERVATION AND RECAPITALIZATION OF AIR 14 |
|---|
| 187 | 187 | | NATIONAL GUARD FIGHTER FLEET. 15 |
|---|
| 188 | 188 | | Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as 16 |
|---|
| 189 | 189 | | amended by sections 2 through 4, is further amended by 17 |
|---|
| 190 | 190 | | adding at the end the following new subsection: 18 |
|---|
| 191 | 191 | | ‘‘(p)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 19 |
|---|
| 192 | 192 | | (3), during the period beginning on December 23, 2024, 20 |
|---|
| 193 | 193 | | and ending on October 1, 2030, the Secretary of the Air 21 |
|---|
| 194 | 194 | | Force— 22 |
|---|
| 195 | 195 | | ‘‘(A) shall maintain not less than 25 fighter air-23 |
|---|
| 196 | 196 | | craft squadrons of the Air National Guard, including 24 |
|---|
| 197 | 197 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 198 | 198 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 8 |
|---|
| 199 | 199 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 200 | 200 | | the 25 fighter aircraft squadrons of the Air National 1 |
|---|
| 201 | 201 | | Guard in existence as of December 23, 2024; and 2 |
|---|
| 202 | 202 | | ‘‘(B) may not retire, reduce funding for, or 3 |
|---|
| 203 | 203 | | place in a status considered excess to the require-4 |
|---|
| 204 | 204 | | ments of the possessing command and awaiting dis-5 |
|---|
| 205 | 205 | | position instructions (commonly referred to as ‘XJ’ 6 |
|---|
| 206 | 206 | | status) any legacy capability fighter aircraft or fifth- 7 |
|---|
| 207 | 207 | | generation fighter aircraft assigned to any of the 25 8 |
|---|
| 208 | 208 | | fighter aircraft squadrons of the Air National Guard 9 |
|---|
| 209 | 209 | | in existence as of December 23, 2024. 10 |
|---|
| 210 | 210 | | ‘‘(2) The prohibition under paragraph (1)(B) shall 11 |
|---|
| 211 | 211 | | not apply to individual legacy capability fighter aircraft, 12 |
|---|
| 212 | 212 | | advanced capability fighter aircraft, or fifth-generation 13 |
|---|
| 213 | 213 | | fighter aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force deter-14 |
|---|
| 214 | 214 | | mines, on a case-by-case basis, to be no longer mission 15 |
|---|
| 215 | 215 | | capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft ac-16 |
|---|
| 216 | 216 | | cidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and 17 |
|---|
| 217 | 217 | | non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft. 18 |
|---|
| 218 | 218 | | ‘‘(3) For each new advanced capability fighter air-19 |
|---|
| 219 | 219 | | craft or fifth-generation fighter aircraft assigned and de-20 |
|---|
| 220 | 220 | | livered to a fighter aircraft squadron maintained under 21 |
|---|
| 221 | 221 | | paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary of the Air Force may re-22 |
|---|
| 222 | 222 | | tire a legacy capability fighter aircraft from that squadron 23 |
|---|
| 223 | 223 | | on a one-for-one basis. 24 |
|---|
| 224 | 224 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 225 | 225 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 9 |
|---|
| 226 | 226 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 227 | 227 | | ‘‘(4) Section 2244a of this title shall not apply to the 1 |
|---|
| 228 | 228 | | implementation of this subsection.’’. 2 |
|---|
| 229 | 229 | | SEC. 6. ANNUAL RECAPITALIZATION PLAN FOR AIR NA-3 |
|---|
| 230 | 230 | | TIONAL GUARD FIGHTER FLEET. 4 |
|---|
| 231 | 231 | | Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as 5 |
|---|
| 232 | 232 | | amended by sections 2 through 5, is further amended by 6 |
|---|
| 233 | 233 | | adding at the end the following new subsection: 7 |
|---|
| 234 | 234 | | ‘‘(q)(1) The Secretary of the Air Force, in consulta-8 |
|---|
| 235 | 235 | | tion with the Director of the Air National Guard, shall 9 |
|---|
| 236 | 236 | | annually develop a plan to recapitalize the fighter fleet of 10 |
|---|
| 237 | 237 | | the Air National Guard. 11 |
|---|
| 238 | 238 | | ‘‘(2) The plan required under paragraph (1) shall— 12 |
|---|
| 239 | 239 | | ‘‘(A) identify each of the 25 fighter aircraft 13 |
|---|
| 240 | 240 | | squadrons of the Air National Guard in existence on 14 |
|---|
| 241 | 241 | | the date of the enactment of this Act; 15 |
|---|
| 242 | 242 | | ‘‘(B) provide a plan for recapitalization of all 16 |
|---|
| 243 | 243 | | such squadrons at a similar rate as the fighter air-17 |
|---|
| 244 | 244 | | craft squadrons of the active components of the 18 |
|---|
| 245 | 245 | | Armed Forces, with the same combination of legacy 19 |
|---|
| 246 | 246 | | capability fighter aircraft and advanced capability 20 |
|---|
| 247 | 247 | | fighter aircraft found in fighter aircraft squadrons 21 |
|---|
| 248 | 248 | | of the active Air Force; 22 |
|---|
| 249 | 249 | | ‘‘(C) establish a timetable for a plan or actions 23 |
|---|
| 250 | 250 | | for the recapitalization proposed under subpara-24 |
|---|
| 251 | 251 | | graph (B) through October 1, 2030, disaggregated 25 |
|---|
| 252 | 252 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 253 | 253 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 10 |
|---|
| 254 | 254 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 255 | 255 | | by fighter aircraft squadron and fiscal year, which 1 |
|---|
| 256 | 256 | | shall identify funding required for each fiscal year; 2 |
|---|
| 257 | 257 | | ‘‘(D) assess budgetary effects on the active 3 |
|---|
| 258 | 258 | | components of the Armed Forces if the recapitaliza-4 |
|---|
| 259 | 259 | | tion plan proposed under subparagraph (B) were im-5 |
|---|
| 260 | 260 | | plemented in accordance with the timeline estab-6 |
|---|
| 261 | 261 | | lished under subparagraph (C); 7 |
|---|
| 262 | 262 | | ‘‘(E) assess the effects of such plan on the 8 |
|---|
| 263 | 263 | | operational readiness and personnel readiness of the 9 |
|---|
| 264 | 264 | | active and reserve components of the Armed Forces, 10 |
|---|
| 265 | 265 | | including the effects of such plan on the ability of 11 |
|---|
| 266 | 266 | | such components to meet steady state and contin-12 |
|---|
| 267 | 267 | | gency force presentation and mission requirements 13 |
|---|
| 268 | 268 | | of combatant commanders; and 14 |
|---|
| 269 | 269 | | ‘‘(F) examine the feasibility of acquiring F–16 15 |
|---|
| 270 | 270 | | Block 70 fighter aircraft for the Air National Guard. 16 |
|---|
| 271 | 271 | | ‘‘(3)(A) Not later than July 1 of each year through 17 |
|---|
| 272 | 272 | | July 1, 2030, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit 18 |
|---|
| 273 | 273 | | to the congressional defense committees a report that in-19 |
|---|
| 274 | 274 | | cludes the plan required under paragraph (1). 20 |
|---|
| 275 | 275 | | ‘‘(B) The report required under subparagraph (A) 21 |
|---|
| 276 | 276 | | shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain 22 |
|---|
| 277 | 277 | | a classified annex.’’. 23 |
|---|
| 278 | 278 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 279 | 279 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 11 |
|---|
| 280 | 280 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 281 | 281 | | SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 1 |
|---|
| 282 | 282 | | Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as 2 |
|---|
| 283 | 283 | | amended by sections 2 through 6, is further amended by 3 |
|---|
| 284 | 284 | | adding at the end the following new subsection: 4 |
|---|
| 285 | 285 | | ‘‘(r) In this section: 5 |
|---|
| 286 | 286 | | ‘‘(1) The term ‘advanced capability fighter air-6 |
|---|
| 287 | 287 | | craft’— 7 |
|---|
| 288 | 288 | | ‘‘(A) means any new production variant of 8 |
|---|
| 289 | 289 | | an airframe type specified in paragraph (4), in-9 |
|---|
| 290 | 290 | | cluding— 10 |
|---|
| 291 | 291 | | ‘‘(i) the F–16 Block 70/72 and any 11 |
|---|
| 292 | 292 | | subsequent block; and 12 |
|---|
| 293 | 293 | | ‘‘(ii) the F–15EX and any subsequent 13 |
|---|
| 294 | 294 | | variant; and 14 |
|---|
| 295 | 295 | | ‘‘(B) does not include a modified or up-15 |
|---|
| 296 | 296 | | graded version of a legacy capability fighter air-16 |
|---|
| 297 | 297 | | craft. 17 |
|---|
| 298 | 298 | | ‘‘(2) The term ‘fifth-generation fighter aircraft’ 18 |
|---|
| 299 | 299 | | means an F–22 aircraft or an F–35 aircraft. 19 |
|---|
| 300 | 300 | | ‘‘(3) The term ‘fighter aircraft’ means an air-20 |
|---|
| 301 | 301 | | craft that— 21 |
|---|
| 302 | 302 | | ‘‘(A) is designated by a mission design se-22 |
|---|
| 303 | 303 | | ries prefix of F– or A–; 23 |
|---|
| 304 | 304 | | ‘‘(B) includes one or two crewmembers on 24 |
|---|
| 305 | 305 | | board the aircraft when in operation; and 25 |
|---|
| 306 | 306 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 307 | 307 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 12 |
|---|
| 308 | 308 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 309 | 309 | | ‘‘(C)(i) executes single-role or multi-role 1 |
|---|
| 310 | 310 | | missions, including air-to-air combat, air-to- 2 |
|---|
| 311 | 311 | | ground attack, air interdiction, suppression or 3 |
|---|
| 312 | 312 | | destruction of enemy air defenses, close air sup-4 |
|---|
| 313 | 313 | | port, strike control and reconnaissance, combat 5 |
|---|
| 314 | 314 | | search and rescue support, or airborne forward 6 |
|---|
| 315 | 315 | | air control; or 7 |
|---|
| 316 | 316 | | ‘‘(ii) operates collaboratively with an 8 |
|---|
| 317 | 317 | | uncrewed aircraft operating semi-autonomously 9 |
|---|
| 318 | 318 | | in proximity. 10 |
|---|
| 319 | 319 | | ‘‘(4) The term ‘legacy capability fighter air-11 |
|---|
| 320 | 320 | | craft’ means a pre-fifth-generation fighter aircraft, 12 |
|---|
| 321 | 321 | | including— 13 |
|---|
| 322 | 322 | | ‘‘(A) an F–16 aircraft, whether pre-block 14 |
|---|
| 323 | 323 | | or post-block; 15 |
|---|
| 324 | 324 | | ‘‘(B) an F–15C/D/E aircraft; or 16 |
|---|
| 325 | 325 | | ‘‘(C) an A–10C aircraft. 17 |
|---|
| 326 | 326 | | ‘‘(5) The term ‘next-generation air dominance 18 |
|---|
| 327 | 327 | | fighter aircraft’— 19 |
|---|
| 328 | 328 | | ‘‘(A) means— 20 |
|---|
| 329 | 329 | | ‘‘(i) a sixth-generation fighter aircraft 21 |
|---|
| 330 | 330 | | capable of interacting collaboratively with 22 |
|---|
| 331 | 331 | | uncrewed aircraft operating semi-autono-23 |
|---|
| 332 | 332 | | mously in proximity; or 24 |
|---|
| 333 | 333 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 334 | 334 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 13 |
|---|
| 335 | 335 | | •S 873 IS |
|---|
| 336 | 336 | | ‘‘(ii) any other fighter aircraft ref-1 |
|---|
| 337 | 337 | | erenced or designated as a sixth-generation 2 |
|---|
| 338 | 338 | | airframe; and 3 |
|---|
| 339 | 339 | | ‘‘(B) does not include uncrewed fighter- 4 |
|---|
| 340 | 340 | | type aircraft. 5 |
|---|
| 341 | 341 | | ‘‘(6) The term ‘service retained’, with respect to 6 |
|---|
| 342 | 342 | | a fighter aircraft unit or a fighter aircraft, means 7 |
|---|
| 343 | 343 | | that the unit or aircraft— 8 |
|---|
| 344 | 344 | | ‘‘(A) is controlled by the Regular Air 9 |
|---|
| 345 | 345 | | Force, the Air Force Reserve, or the Air Na-10 |
|---|
| 346 | 346 | | tional Guard for operational, training, or ad-11 |
|---|
| 347 | 347 | | ministrative purposes of the component con-12 |
|---|
| 348 | 348 | | cerned; and 13 |
|---|
| 349 | 349 | | ‘‘(B) is not assigned to, or under the oper-14 |
|---|
| 350 | 350 | | ational control of, a combatant command or 15 |
|---|
| 351 | 351 | | joint task force.’’. 16 |
|---|
| 352 | 352 | | Æ |
|---|
| 353 | 353 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:46 Mar 18, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S873.IS S873 |
|---|
| 354 | 354 | | kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB |
|---|