US NDAA, some unexpected outcomes

On 6 December 2022, traditionally at the end of the year, for the 62nd consecutive year, US Congress reached agreement to pass the National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA). Each year, the NDAA authorises funding Levels and provides authorities for the US-military and other critical defense priorities. Unlike the Fiscal Year 2022 NDAA, on which Scramble Magazine reported on 12 December 2021, this year revealed some surprise moves in the US Department of Defense regarding military airplanes and helicopters.

The first surprise move revealed that the NDAA prohibits the retirement of Lockheed Martin F-22A Block 20 Raptors. As it stands now, the USAF has to submit a detailed written plan for training Raptor aircrew while avoiding any degradation in readiness or reduction in combat capability, and does not mandate upgrades of the F-22A Block 20 aircraft. Earlier, the USAF envisaged to store some thirty of its oldest F-22A Block 20 Raptors.

By 30 april 2023, the Secretary of the Air Force and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-22, have to propose the cost estimates and schedules of milestones, events and activities required to upgrade Block 20 F-22 aircraft to a capability configuration comparable to or exceeding the existing or planned configuration of Block 30/35 F-22A aircraft. Also, a report should be provided on plans for basing the different Block F-22s with the establishment of a Raptor Formal Training Unit (FTU). On 27 June 2021, Scramble Magazine wrote about USAF's Fifth Generation Formal Training Unit optimisation.

Then there is the curious case about the future of Boeing's EA-18G Growler. Operated by joint US Navy and USAF aircrew, the Growler has been numerously named as having become obsolete. On 27 April 2022, Scramble Magazine wrote about the possible deactivation of Electronic Attack Squadrons. With more "All fusion" aircraft, like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, coming into service, the last operational years of the Growler now seem to be numbered. NDAA-officials now require a report outlining a strategy and execution plan for the Navy and Air Force to continuously and effectively meet airborne electronic attack training and combat requirements of the Joint Force, to include establishment or continuation of one or more land-based, joint service electronic attack squadrons and integration of both active and reserve components of both services.

To maintain the EA-18G fleet through Fiscal Year 2027, there is a possibility that Growlers will be transferred to Navy Reserve expeditionary squadrons and there are even talks about to establish joint service expeditionary, land-based electronic attack squadrons within the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserves.

Taking airplanes and helicopters out of service during Fiscal Year 2023
The NDAA allows the USAF to lower its total fighter aircraft inventory during 2023. Theoretically, some hundred aircraft, comprising F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and F-15 C/Ds legacy Eagles could be involved. While it became only recently known, for some unexpectedly, that F-15 Eagles would vacate Kadena Air Base (Japan), the USAF must now provide a report on how planned legacy Eagle divestments would impact current operations before taking those aircraft from its inventory.

The A-10C Thunderbolt II has been spared for years, 2023 will see some of those dedicated Close Air Support (CAS) aircraft leaving USAF's inventory. It is envisaged that some twenty A-10Cs will be struck from the operational inventory. What will happen to them is not known at this moment. Earlier, Scramble Magazine wrote about USAF's charm offensive regarding the A-10 and a possible transfer of A-10s to Ukraine in an article about USAF's Train, Advise and Assist (TAA) and Combat Air Advisors (CAA).

For the Fiscal Year 2023, the NDAA allowed the USAF to retire eight E-8C Joint Stars, some fifty T-1A Jayhawk training aircraft, one EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft, three EC-130J Commando Solo Information, Psychological and Civil Affairs Ops aircraft, ten KC-10A Extender and twelve KC-135R/T Strato(tanker) aircraft. As for helicopters; with more HH-60W Jolly Green IIs coming into service it is expected that a dozen HH-60G Pave Hawks will be divested of during 2023.

New aircraft and helicopters for Fiscal Year 2023
For the USAF Fiscal Year 2023, the NDAA authorised funding for an additional four EC-37B Compass Call aircraft, an additional five F-35A Lightning IIs and an additional ten HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters. Also, the NDAA Authorised an increase of USD301 million to accelerate production of both prototype E-7 Wedgetail aircraft to support the airborne command and control mission. If the latter is accelerated, this could pave the way to declare some E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft obsolete during 2023. On 1 December 2022, Scramble Magazine was one of the first to write about USAF's E-3 AWACS successor.

For the US Navy/US Marines Fiscal Year 2023, the NDAA authorised funding for eight F-18E/F Super Hornets, sixteen F-35C, fifteen F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical-Landing (STOVL) version, twelve CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, two V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, seven E-2D Hawkeye aircraft, five KC-130J Super Hercules tankers, three MQ-4 Triton unmanned aerial systems and four MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial systems.

For the US Army aviation Fiscal Year 2023, the NDAA authorised increased funding for unspecified numbers of CH-47F Chinook helicopters, AH-64E Apache helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk (all versions) helicopters and MQ-1 Gray Eagle unmanned aerial systems.

Photos by Dino van Doorn, Nate Leong, Coert van Breda, Stewart Dempster and Harrie Kraaijeveld (all Scramble Archive)