SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CARRIER AIR WING FORCE STRUCTURE.

SEC. 1076. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CARRIER AIR WING FORCE STRUCTURE.(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:(1) Section 5062(b) of title 10, United States Code, requires the Department of the Navy to maintain not less than 11 operational aircraft carriers.(2) In repeated testimony before Congress, the Navy has pledged its long-term commitment to naval combat forces that include 11 operational aircraft carriers and 10 carrier air wings, composed of 44 strike-fighter aircraft per wing.(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that—(1) in addition to the forces described in section 5062(b) of title 10, United States Code, the Navy should meet its current requirement for 10 carrier air wings (even if the number of aircraft carriers is temporarily reduced) that are comprised of not less than 44 strike-fighter aircraft, in addition to any other aircraft associated with the air wing; and(2) the Congress and the Secretary of the Navy should take all appropriate actions necessary to achieve the current requirement for such carrier air wings until such time that modifications to the carrier air wing force structure are warranted and the Secretary of the Navy provides Congress with a justification of any proposed modifications, supported by rigorous and sufficient warfighting analysis.123 STAT. 2477