PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REDUCTIONS TO INVENTORY OF E-3 AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM AIRCRAFT.

SEC. 142. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REDUCTIONS TO INVENTORY OF E-3 AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM AIRCRAFT. (a) Prohibition.—Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2024 or fiscal year 2025 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or in backup aircraft inventory any E-3 aircraft if such actions would reduce the total aircraft inventory of such aircraft below 16. (b) Exception for Plan.—If the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for maintaining readiness and ensuring there is no lapse in mission capabilities, the prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory of E-3 aircraft to below 16, beginning 30 days after the date on which the plan is so submitted. (c) Exception for E-7 Procurement.—If the Secretary of the Air Force procures enough E-7 Wedgetail aircraft to accomplish the required mission load, the prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory of E-3 aircraft to below 16 after the date on which such E-7 Wedgetail aircraft are delivered.