Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2023”.
Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2023
A BILL
To support and strengthen the fighter aircraft capabilities of the Air Force, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Minimum number of aircraft and fighter squadrons in the Air National Guard
Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(l)
“(1) The aircraft inventory of the Air National Guard shall include not fewer than 25 fighter aircraft squadrons each of which shall have a minimum of 18 primary aircraft authorized.
“(2) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirements of paragraph (1) with respect to individual aircraft if the Secretary—
“(A) certifies to the congressional defense committees that compliance with such requirements is not feasible due to extraordinary circumstances; and
“(B) includes with such certification an explanation of such circumstances.”
Sec. 3 Plan on fighter force recapitalization
Plan required— The Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Director of the Air National Guard, shall develop a fighter aircraft recapitalization plan that provides for—
the replacement and modernization of Air National Guard fighter squadrons at a rate that shall ensure the full, one-for-one, recapitalization of Air National Guard fighter squadrons by the end of fiscal year 2034; and
the fielding of the Next Generation Air Dominance family of systems in the Air National Guard.
Submittal to Congress— Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees the plan developed under subsection (a).
Congressional defense committees defined— In this section, the term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.