Recapitalization of air force active duty frontline fighter force

(a) Procurement of fighter aircraft (1) In general The Secretary of the Air Force shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure the continued production and procurement of at least one model of advanced capability fighter aircraft until the date on which the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that the Secretary has replaced all legacy capability fighter aircraft within each Air Combat Command Fighter Wing with an advanced capability fighter aircraft, with replacements made sequentially, starting with fighter squadrons that deploy at least 30 percent of the time. (2) Contracts For purposes of fulfilling the requirements of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) seek to enter into a contract for the procurement of advanced capability fighter aircraft; or (B) modify a contract to provide for the procurement of additional advanced capability fighter aircraft. (3) Gao review and report (A) Review The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of advanced capability fighter aircraft. Such review shall include— (i) an assessment of any challenges to the procurement of such aircraft by the Secretary; and (ii) recommendations on how to solve such challenges. (B) Briefing Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the preliminary findings of the review conducted under subparagraph (A). (C) Report Not later than 30 days after the Comptroller General provides a briefing under subparagraph (B), the Comptroller General shall submit to the congressional defense committees a final report on the review conducted under subparagraph (A). (4) Report on progress Not later than 180 days after the Comptroller General provides a report under paragraph (3)(C) and on an annual basis thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress of the Secretary in— (A) implementing the recommendations of the Comptroller General issued pursuant to paragraph (3); and (B) replacing the legacy capability fighter aircraft within each Air Combat Command Fighter Wing with an advanced capability fighter aircraft, fifth generation fighter aircraft, or next-generation air dominance fighter aircraft. (b) Definitions In this Act: (1) The term advanced capability fighter aircraft means a Block 70/72 variant or later variant of the F–16 fighter aircraft, an F–15EX fighter aircraft, an F–35 fighter aircraft, an F–47 fighter aircraft, any future variant of such fighter aircraft, or any other more advanced capability fighter aircraft identified by the Secretary. (2) The term congressional defense committees has the meaning given such term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code. (3) The term covered Air Combat Command Fighter Wing means any fighter unit of the Air Force with respect to which the Secretary has not commenced or completed the process of replacing the legacy capability fighter aircraft of such unit with advanced capability fighter aircraft or fifth generation aircraft as of the date of the enactment of this Act. (4) The term fifth generation has the meaning given such term in section 154(d)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159). (5) The term fighter aircraft has the meaning given such term in section 9062(i)(2) of title 10, United States Code. (6) The term legacy capability fighter aircraft has the meaning given such term in section 154(d)(4) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159).