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Limitation on retirement of E–3 airborne warning and control system aircraft and requirements relating to E–7 aircraft

Division A · Title I: Procurement · Subtitle D: Air Force Programs

Plain-language summaryAI

The Air Force must keep at least 15 E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft through fiscal year 2027 and provide a detailed plan and budget for acquiring and deploying E-7 Wedgetail aircraft within 180 days. The Air Force must also certify that this plan will maintain current airborne early warning and command capabilities without any gaps when retiring E-3 aircraft.

AI-generated from this section’s text — a quick orientation, not a substitute for the full text below. Not legal advice.

Section Text · Sec. 143.
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(a) Extension and modification of minimum inventory requirement

Section 149 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 ( Public Law 119–60 ) is amended—

(1)

by striking below 16 each place it appears and inserting below 15 ; and

(2)

in subsection (a), by striking fiscal year 2026 and inserting fiscal year 2026 or 2027 .

(b) Requirement to plan and budget for E–7 program of record

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees—

(1)

a detailed schedule for procurement, fielding, and achievement of initial and full operating capability for E–7 Wedgetail aircraft; and

(2)

a funding profile across the period covered by the Future Years Defense Program sufficient to meet the requirements of paragraph (1).

(c) Capability assurance

The Secretary of Air Force shall certify to the congressional defense committees that—

(1)

the plan under subsection (b) will ensure there is no degradation in the airborne early warning, battle management, and command and control capabilities available to support combatant commands; and

(2)

any proposed retirement of E–3 aircraft will not result in a gap in operational coverage, mission availability, or responsiveness to the demands of the combatant commands.