To prohibit certain reductions to the inventory of E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft.

SA 3439. Mr. LANKFORD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle D of title I, add the following:

SEC. 142. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REDUCTIONS TO INVENTORY OF
E-3 AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM
AIRCRAFT.

(a) Prohibition.--None of the funds authorized to be
appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for
fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force may be obligated or
expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or
in backup aircraft inventory any E-3 aircraft if such actions
would reduce the total aircraft inventory for such aircraft
below 16.
(b) Exception for Plan.--If the Secretary of the Air Force
submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for
maintaining readiness and ensuring there is no lapse in
mission capabilities, the prohibition under subsection (a)
shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft
inventory for E-3 aircraft to below 16, beginning 30 days
after the date on which the plan is so submitted.
(c) Exception for E-7 Aircraft Procurement.--If the
Secretary of the Air Force procures enough E-7 Wedgetail
aircraft to accomplish the required mission load, the
prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions
taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory for E-3 aircraft
to below 16 after the date on which such E-7 Wedgetail
aircraft are delivered.
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