The Air Guard has 25 fighter squadrons, many of which fly aging airframes the Air Force plans to retire in the coming years. The service has identified follow-on fighters for some — but not all — of the units. Absent replacement aircraft, the capabilities these units provide will disappear.
Two [companion] bills in Congress aim to increase the Air Force fighter inventory by setting a minimum number of Air National Guard fighter squadrons and aircraft.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska), a retired Air Force brigadier general, is spearheading the proposed “Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act,” which would require:
- A minimum of 25 fighter squadrons in the Air National Guard, each with at least 18 aircraft
- Development of a plan to modernize and recapitalize the entire ANG fleet on a one-for-one basis by the end of fiscal 2034
- Establishment of a plan to field Next Generation Air Dominance fighters in the ANG
House bill 3392, titled “Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2023”, seeks to support and strengthen the fighter aircraft capabilities of the Air Force. It was introduced on May 17, 2023 and has 23 co-sponsors. It has been referred to the House Armed Services Committee and may be considered in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act which will be assembled in the second session of the 118th Congress later this spring. An identical companion bill was introduced in the Senate on July 13, 2023 as Senate bill 2307 by Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and has 7 co-sponsors.
The Air Force is retiring both ANG A-10 and F-15C/D squadrons, moves the Air Force has said are necessary to fund intensive modernization across the force. Lawmakers have opposed those plans in the past but more recently have given in to Air Force arguments that divesting aging aircraft not suited to advanced threats is essential to modernizing the overall force.
Capacity is one issue in the recapitalization effort. The Air Force is competing with the Navy, Marine Corps, and a host of allies to acquire new F-35s, and the list of customers is growing. From 2024-2028, the official said, the Air Force can’t buy more than 48 F-35s per year because there isn’t capacity to build any more airplanes.
The Air Force cited two other problems with Bacon’s bill: First, its focus on a minimum fighter fleet for the Guard, but not the Active Duty force, could mean giving new aircraft to the Guard at the expense of frontline forces; and second, that requirement stretches out a decade, while Congress only funds the Air Force year to year.
Section 148 of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 118-31) calls for the Air Force to consult with the Director Air Guard and Director Air Reserve to develop a long-term tactical fighter force structure, recapitalization, training, and sustainment plan for the active and reserve components of the Air Force. It calls for a report back to the Armed Services committees by April 1 2024.
In addition, section 1070 of the same law requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the use of Department of Defense tactical fighter aircraft for deployments, including taskings supporting homeland defense missions. The study report is to be submitted to the Armed Services committees by May 1, 2024.
EANGUS will engage the Armed Services committees to encourage their support for including the provisions of HR 3392/S 2307 in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act this spring.
— EANGUS National Staff
