Requirements relating to sustainment of A–10 aircraft and related training

(a) Limitations on availability of funds (1) Limitation on divestment activities Not more than 85 percent of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal year 2027 through 2033 for the Department of Defense for covered divestment activities with respect to the A–10 fleet may be obligated or expended to carry out such an activity until the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees— (A) the roadmap required under subsection (d); and (B) a certification that such roadmap addresses each requirement under subsection (b). (2) Limitation on training transition from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal years 2027 through 2033 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to transition covered training functions at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, to another military installation unless the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees a certification that— (A) continuation of such functions at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is not feasible without carrying out a major military construction project; and (B) the transition of such functions to such other military installation would not materially increase costs, delay operational availability, reduce local access to qualified personnel, degrade training quality, or result in the violation of any requirement under subsection (b). (3) Limitation on reduction of functions at Nellis Air Force Base None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal years 2027 through 2033 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to reduce, eliminate, deactivate, transfer, or fail to restore the weapons instructor course for A–10 aircraft offered through the United States Air Force Weapons School located at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, or any such successor course, in a manner that presumes future congressional authority to divest the A–10 fleet. (b) Sustainment requirements (1) In general The Secretary of the Air Force shall maintain sufficient training capacity, development, test, and evaluation capacity, depot-level maintenance and repair capacity, supply, logistics, and contractor capacity, and other sustainment-related capacity to ensure the A–10 fleet remains operationally viable through fiscal year 2033 (in this section, referred to as the covered period), including with respect to each mission and capability of such fleet as of the date of the enactment of this Act (including combat search and rescue missions). (2) Certain minimum requirements The capacity required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (A) A requirement that, on an annual basis during the covered period, not fewer than 14 pilots receive the qualifications, or requalifications, necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft. (B) A requirement that, on an annual basis during the covered period, not fewer than four officers receive advanced instructor qualifications, or requalifications, through the weapons instructor course for A–10 aircraft offered through the United States Air Force Weapons School. (C) A requirement that, for the duration of the covered period, the Secretary maintains a fighter pilot specialty community with respect to the A–10 mission set, including the Air Force Specialty Code 11F3B (or any successor specialty code or designation), in a manner that establishes the A–10 mission set as a primary area of pilot training, operational experience, and career development rather than a secondary or collateral area. (3) Preservation of functions at Nellis Air Force Base In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, maintain at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, the weapons instructor course for A–10 aircraft offered through the United States Air Force Weapons School and associated support functions, including access to ramp space, hangars, office space, simulator or mission-planning facilities, ranges, and other relevant infrastructure as necessary to meet the requirement under paragraph (1). (4) Preservation of functions at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, maintain at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, the core ground-based training system, simulators, and other training infrastructure necessary for pilots to receive qualification or requalification for the operation of A–10 aircraft as necessary to meet the requirement under paragraph (1). (5) Formal training unit In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall maintain a formal training unit of the Air Force for providing to pilots the qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft, and a process for the requalification of pilots formerly so qualified. (6) Use of existing or repurposed infrastructure In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall seek to use existing or repurposed facilities, hangars, ramp space, and other support infrastructure for the purpose of meeting the requirement under paragraph (1) and may not initiate any new military construction project for such purpose unless the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that— (A) existing or repurposed facilities are insufficient for such purpose; (B) the proposed military construction project is the minimum cost necessary to meet such requirement; and (C) the proposed military construction project will not materially interfere with the beddown and mission requirements of the 492d Special Operations Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. (7) Budget materials Concurrent with the submission to Congress of a budget pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2033, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the amounts necessary to implement this subsection. (c) Annual report on A–10 sustainment (1) Annual report Not later than March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until March 1, 2034, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing the extent to which the Department of the Air Force met the requirements under subsection (b) during the preceding fiscal year. (2) Elements Each report required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (A) An identification of the number of pilots that received the qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft during the preceding fiscal year, disaggregated by whether such qualifications were an initial qualification or a requalification. (B) An identification of the number of officers that received advanced instructor qualifications through the weapons instructor course for A–10 aircraft offered through the United States Air Force Weapons School, disaggregated by whether such qualifications were an initial qualification or a requalification. (C) A description of the status of actions taken to meet the requirement under subsection (b)(5) during the preceding fiscal year, and any related instructor shortfalls. (D) A description of the status of operational test and evaluation capacity with respect to the A–10 fleet, including major limitations affecting airworthiness, weapons integration, tactics development, or mission effectiveness. (E) A comparative analysis of research, development, test, and evaluation funding and resourcing for the A–10 fleet during the preceding 10 fiscal years, including an identification of— (i) any major test, evaluation, modernization, or capability-integration efforts that were delayed, denied, cancelled, or not pursued; (ii) the stated basis for each such decision; and (iii) an assessment of whether developmental or operational test capacity was materially constrained by underfunding, understaffing, or the rejection of otherwise feasible low-cost or no-additional-cost efforts. (F) The status of programmed depot-level maintenance and repair with respect to A–10 aircraft or related infrastructure, and any resulting effect on the ability of the Department to meet the requirements under subsection (b). (G) The status of logistics, supply, contractor maintenance, and other sustainment functions for the A–10 fleet, and any resulting effect on the ability of the Department to meet the requirements under subsection (b). (H) An assessment as to whether the Department met the requirements under subsection (b) during the preceding fiscal year. (I) A description of any shortfall, delay, or other deviation resulting in a failure to meet any such requirement, including any corrective action planned or underway. (d) Roadmap for A–10 fleet sustainment (1) Roadmap required Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a roadmap setting forth— (A) proposed actions to meet each requirement under subsection (b); and (B) a contingency plan for the sustainment of the A–10 fleet through fiscal year 2037, including an identification of decision points relating to such extended sustainment and an assessment of related costs and reconstitution effects. (2) Briefing Not later than 15 days after the date of the submission of the roadmap under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on such roadmap and any anticipated material shortfall in meeting a requirement under subsection (b). (3) Annual updates Not later than one year after the date of the submission of the roadmap under paragraph (1), and annually thereafter until September 30, 2033, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written update to such roadmap. (4) GAO review If the Secretary of the Air Force does not submit to the congressional defense committees the roadmap required under paragraph (1) by the deadline specified in such paragraph, the Comptroller General of the United States shall— (A) conduct a review of the compliance with this section by the Department; and (B) not later than 120 days after such review is complete, submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the results of such review. (e) Program To preserve knowledge and history relating to A–10 aircraft (1) Establishment The Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a program to preserve technical and historical knowledge relating to the operation and sustainment of the A–10 fleet. (2) Lead entity The Director of the Air Force Historical Research Agency shall serve as the lead entity carrying out the program under paragraph (1), in coordination with the Commander of the Air Combat Command, the head of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, and such other organizations of the Department of the Air Force as the Secretary of the Air Force determines appropriate. (3) Required activities The program established under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum the following activities: (A) The collection of oral histories relating to the A–10 fleet from pilots, advanced instructor-qualified aircrew, maintainers, joint terminal attack controllers, and other personnel involved in the operation (including operational support for combat search and rescue missions) or sustainment of aircraft within such fleet. (B) The collection and preservation of records associated with the A–10 fleet, including technical data, operational tactics, weapons integration records, upgrade and modification history, and records relating to the sustainment of aircraft within such fleet. (C) The digital archiving of materials collected under subparagraphs (A) and (B) in a searchable repository accessible to appropriate users within the Department of Defense. (D) The identification of lessons learned pursuant to the materials so collected. (E) The development of recommendations for collecting, preserving, and transferring knowledge relating to the A–10 fleet with respect to design, doctrine, training, and sustainment activities relating to successor aircraft. (4) Report Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing a summary of— (A) the activities carried out under the program established under paragraph (1); (B) the status of the archive established pursuant to paragraph (3)(C); and (C) the principal lessons learned identified pursuant to paragraph (3)(D). (f) Definitions In this section: (1) The term covered divestment activity, with respect to the A–10 fleet, means any activity to transition, replace, retire, deactivate, or otherwise reduce such fleet or the capabilities thereof, including with respect to training, personnel, and resources for the sustainment and operation of such fleet, below the levels required under subsection (b). (2) The term covered training functions means functions that comprise the primary source of providing to pilots and other aircrew the training and qualifications necessary for the operation of A–10 aircraft. (3) The term depot-level maintenance and repair has the meaning given such term in section 2460 of title 10, United States Code. (4) The term military construction project and military installation have the meanings given such terms in section 2801 of title 10, United States Code.