PILOT PROGRAM ON COMMERCIAL FEE-FOR-SERVICE AIR REFUELING SUPPORT FOR THE AIR FORCE.

SEC. 1081. PILOT PROGRAM ON COMMERCIAL FEE-FOR-SERVICE AIR REFUELING SUPPORT FOR THE AIR FORCE.(a) Pilot Program Required.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall conduct, as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of utilizing commercial fee-for-service air refueling tanker aircraft for Air Force operations. The duration of the pilot program shall be at least five years after commencement of the program.(b) Purpose.—(1) In general.—The pilot program required by subsection (a) shall evaluate the feasibility of fee-for-service air refueling to support, augment, or enhance the air refueling mission of the Air Force by utilizing commercial air refueling providers on a fee-for-service basis.(2) Elements.—In order to achieve the purpose of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Air Force shall—(A) demonstrate and validate a comprehensive strategy for air refueling on a fee-for-service basis by evaluating all mission areas, including testing support, training support to receiving aircraft, homeland defense support, deployment support, air bridge support, aeromedical evacuation, and emergency air refueling; and(B) integrate fee-for-service air refueling described in paragraph (1) into Air Mobility Command operations during the evaluation and execution phases of the pilot program.(c) Annual Report.—The Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the congressional defense committees an annual report on the fee-for-service air refueling program, which includes—(1) information with respect to—(A) missions flown;(B) mission areas supported;(C) aircraft number, type, model series supported;(D) fuel dispensed;(E) departure reliability rates; and122 STAT. 336(F) the annual and cumulative cost to the Government for the program, including a comparison of costs of the same service provided by the Air Force;(2) an assessment of the impact of outsourcing air refueling on the Air Force’s flying hour program and aircrew training; and(3) any other data that the Secretary determines is appropriate for evaluating the performance of the commercial air refueling providers participating in the pilot program.(d) Comptroller General Review.—The Comptroller General shall submit to the congressional defense committees—(1) an annual review of the conduct of the pilot program under this section and any recommendations of the Comptroller General for improving the program; and(2) not later than 90 days after the completion of the pilot program, a final assessment of the results of the pilot program and the recommendations of the Comptroller General for whether the Secretary of the Air Force should continue to utilize fee-for-service air refueling.