Sec. 134. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR RETIREMENT OF A-10 AIRCRAFT

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## SEC. 134 PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR RETIREMENT OF A-10 AIRCRAFT ###

(a)Prohibition on Availability of Funds for Retirement None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2017 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or on backup aircraft inventory status any A-10 aircraft. ###

(b)Additional Limitation on Retirement In addition to the prohibition in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Air Force may not retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or on backup aircraft inventory status any A-10 aircraft until a period of 90 days has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the information described in subsection (e)(2)(C). ###

(c)Prohibition on Significant Reductions in Manning Levels None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2017 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to make significant reductions to manning levels with respect to any A-10 aircraft squadrons or divisions. ###

(d)Minimum Inventory Requirement The Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure the Air Force maintains a minimum of 93 A–10 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory until October 1, 2026. ###

(e)Reports Required ####

(1)The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes— #####

(A)the results and findings of the initial operational test and evaluation of the F-35 aircraft program; and #####

(B)a comparison test and evaluation that examines the capabilities of the F-35A and A-10C aircraft in conducting close air support, combat search and rescue, and forward air controller airborne missions. ####

(2)Not later than 180 days after the date of the submission of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes— #####

(A)the views of the Secretary with respect to the results of the initial operational test and evaluation of the F-35 aircraft program as summarized in the report under paragraph (1), including any issues or concerns of the Secretary with respect to such results; #####

(B)a plan for addressing any deficiencies and carrying out any corrective actions identified in such report; and #####

(C)short-term and long-term strategies for preserving the capability of the Air Force to conduct close air support, combat search and rescue, and forward air controller airborne missions. ###

(f)Special Rule ####

(1)Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Air Force may carry out the transition of the A-10 unit at Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base, Indiana, to an F-16 unit as described by the Secretary in the Force Structure Actions map submitted in support of the budget of the President for fiscal year 2017 (as submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code). ####

(2)Subsections

(a)through

(e)shall apply with respect to any A-10 aircraft affected by the transition described in paragraph (1).