LIMITATION ON RETIRING C–5 AIRCRAFT.

SEC. 132. LIMITATION ON RETIRING C–5 AIRCRAFT.(a) Limitation.—The Secretary of the Air Force may not proceed with a decision to retire C–5A aircraft from the active inventory of the Air Force in any number that would reduce the total number of such aircraft in the active inventory below 112 until—(1) the Air Force has modified a C–5A aircraft to the configuration referred to as the Reliability Enhancement and Reengining Program (RERP) configuration, as planned under the C–5 System Development and Demonstration program as of May 1, 2003; and(2) the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation of the Department of Defense—(A) conducts an operational evaluation of that aircraft, as so modified; and117 STAT. 1412(B) provides to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees an operational assessment.(b) Operational Evaluation.—An operational evaluation for purposes of paragraph (2)(A) of subsection (a) is an evaluation, conducted during operational testing and evaluation of the aircraft, as so modified, of the performance of the aircraft with respect to reliability, maintainability, and availability and with respect to critical operational issues.(c) Operational Assessment.—An operational assessment for purposes of paragraph (2)(B) of subsection (a) is an operational assessment of the program to modify C–5A aircraft to the configuration referred to in subsection (a)(1) regarding both overall suitability and deficiencies of the program to improve performance of the C–5A aircraft relative to requirements and specifications for reliability, maintainability, and availability of that aircraft as in effect on May 1, 2003.