LIMITATION ON RETIREMENT OF U–2 AIRCRAFT.

SEC. 133. LIMITATION ON RETIREMENT OF U–2 AIRCRAFT.(a) Limitation.—The Secretary of the Air Force may take no action that would prevent the Air Force from maintaining the U–2 aircraft fleet in its current configuration and capability beyond fiscal year 2016 until—(1) the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics certifies in writing to the appropriate committees of Congress that the operating and sustainment (O&S) costs for the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are less than the operating and sustainment costs for the U–2 aircraft on a comparable flight-hour cost basis; and(2) the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council certifies in writing to the appropriate committees of Congress that the capability to be fielded at the same time or before the U–2 aircraft retirement would result in equal or greater capability available to the commanders of the combatant commands.(b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.—In this section, the term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.