Sec. 11708. Acquisition of aircraft for agency air, atmosphere, and weather reconnaissance and research mission
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The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere shall acquire adequate aircraft platforms with the necessary observation and modification requirements— to meet agency-wide air reconnaissance and research mission requirements, particularly with respect to hurricanes and tropical cyclones, and also for atmospheric chemistry, climate, air quality for public health, full-season fire weather research and operations, full-season atmospheric river air reconnaissance observations, and other mission areas; and to ensure data and information collected by the aircraft are made available to all users for research and operations purposes.
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Under Secretary shall negotiate and enter into 1 or more contracts or other agreements, to the extent practicable and necessary, with 1 or more governmental or nongovernmental entities. Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Under Secretary may enter into a contract for the acquisition of up to 6 aircraft to replace the WP–3D aircraft that provides for— the first newly acquired aircraft to be fully operational before the retirement of the last WP–3D aircraft operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the second newly acquired aircraft to be fully operational not later than 1 year after the first such aircraft is required to be fully operational under subparagraph (A).
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Under Secretary shall maintain the ability of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to meet agency air reconnaissance and research mission requirements by acquiring new aircraft prior to the end of the service life of the aircraft being replaced with sufficient lead time that the replacement aircraft is fully operation prior to the retirement of the aircraft it is replacing. For fiscal year 2023, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Under Secretary $800,000,000 for the acquisition of aircraft under this section.