FY19 HouseAppropriations 

Committee

Defense AppropriationsAct

As of June 15th, 2018

Bill Status

Passed in 

Committee Passed in Chamber Final Passage Signed into Law

House June 13th, 2018

Senate
Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................ - 1 -

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OVERVIEW.....................................................................................................- 2 -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD OVERVIEW.........................................................................................................- 2 -

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL .................................................................................................................... - 3 -

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL (OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS)......................................... - 3 -

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE.................................................................................... - 1 -

ARMY NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE (OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS).........- 1 -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL......................................................................................................................... - 2 -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL (OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS) ............................................. - 2 -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE ........................................................................................ - 3 -

AIR NATIONAL GUARD OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE (OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS)......ERROR! 

BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS..................................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

REPORT LANGUAGE ............................................................................................ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
Executive Summary

This guide provides a short summary of the initial subcommittee markup for the Fiscal Year 2018

Defense Appropriations Act. To obtain a complete understanding of any particular provision, users are 

encouraged to review the actual legislative language. Bill text and report language can be found on the 

LL website: www.nationalguard.mil/ll.

Status: 

On June 7th, 2018, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense passed the FY19 Defense 

Appropriations Act. The bill provides $674.6B in total Department of Defense funding, which is about 

$20B above the FY18 enacted level. The bill provides $606.5B in the base budget and $68.1B in OCO.

Highlights: 

• Funds a 2.6% military pay raise

• Funds an end strength of 343,500 for the ARNG and 107,100 for the ANG

• Provides an additional $24.7M for Youth ChalleNGe

• Provides an additional $30M for STARBASE

• Appropriates $197.4M for the National Guard Counterdrug Program and $5.3M for 

Counterdrug Schools

• Adds $7.7M for State Partnership Program

• Adds $168M for 6 AH-64 Apaches for the ARNG and designates 6 others from the PB 

request to the ARNG for a total of 12

• Adds $156M for 8 UH-60Ms for the ARNG and designates 7 others from the PB 

request to the ARNG for a total of 15

• Adds $100M for ARNG HMMWV Modernization

• Adds $640M for 8 C-130Js for the ANG

• Adds $74M C-130 engine enhancement and $55M for propeller upgrades

• Appropriates $421M each for the ARNG and ANG in NGREA

• Appropriates $623M for continued JSTARS recapitalization
National Guard Accounts Overview

(All Dollars in Thousands)

Army National 

Guard

FY19

President’s 

Budget Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 Conference

ARNG 

Personnel $8,744,345 $8,589,785 -$154,560

ARNG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$195,283 $195,283 -

ARNG O&M $7,399,295 $7,329,771 -$69,524

ARNG O&M 

OCO $110,729 $110,729 -

NGREA - $421,000 +$421,000

Air National 

Guard

FY19

President’s 

Budget Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 Conference

ANG 

Personnel $3,725,380 $3,707,240 -$18,140

ANG 

Personnel 

OCO 

$5,460 $5,460 -

ANG O&M $6,427,622 $6,438,162 +$10,540

ANG O&M 

OCO $15,870 $15,870 -

NGREA - $421,000 +$421,000
Army National Guard

Army National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ARNG Personnel Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $2,805,051 $2,786,0511 -$19,000

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $575,310 $565,3102 -$10,000

PAY GROUP P TRAINING 

(PIPELINE RECRUITS) $43,618 $43,618

SCHOOL TRAINING $554,644 $551,6443 -$3,000

SPECIAL TRAINING $695,097 $707,3374,5,6 +$12,240

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $3,925,593 $3,925,593 -

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN 

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $55,530 $55,530 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $89,502 $89,502 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 

(BAC-01) $8,744,345 $8,724,585 -$19,760

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$136,000 -$136,000

TRAUMA TRAINING - +$1,200 +$1,200

TOTAL, ARNG PERSONNEL $8,744,345 $8,589,785 -$154,560

HAC-D Items

1. Excess growth -$19,000

2. Excess to requirement -$10,000

3. Historical overestimation of accessions mission -$3,000

4. Program increase - SPP +$2,940

5. Program increase - CPTs +1,300

6. Program increase - training and operation support on the southwest border +$8,000

Army National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ARNG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $47,114 $47,114 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $2,939 $2,939 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $135,655 $135,655 -

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $9,575 $9,575

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 

(BAC-01) $195,283 $195,283 -

TOTAL ARNG PERSONNEL $195,283 $195,283 -
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance

ARNG O&M Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

MANEUVER UNITS $810,269 $776,4951,2,3 -$33,774

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $193,402 $185,4024 -$8,000

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $753,815 $755,8155 +$2,000

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $84,124 $84,124 -

LAND FORCES OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT $31,881 $31,881 -

AVIATION ASSETS $973,874 $973,874 -

FORCE READINESS OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT $784,086 $785,5866,7 +$1,500

LAND FORCES SYSTEMS READINESS $51,353 $51,353

LAND FORCES DEPOT 

MAINTENANCE $221,633 $221,633

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $1,129,942 $1,114,9428 -$15,000

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, 

RESTORATION, & MODERNIZATION $919,947 $999,9479 +$80,000

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL 

HQ $1,010,524 $1,002,05910,11 -$8,465

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE 

(BAC-01) $6,964,850 $6,983,111 +$18,261

SERVICEWIDE TRANSPORTATION $10,017 $10,017 -

ADMINISTRATION $72,746 $75,68612 +2,940

SERVICEWIDE COMMUNICATIONS $83,105 $83,105 -

MANPOWER MANAGEMENT $10,678 $10,678 -

OTHER PERSONNEL SUPPORT $254,753 $254,753 -

OTHER CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT 

AND REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT $3,146 $3,146 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR 

(BAC-04) $434,445 $437,385 +$2,940

RESTORE READINESS - +$20,000 +$20,000

HISTORICAL UNOBLIGATION - -$110,725 -$110,725

TOTAL, ARNG O&M $7,399,295 $7,329,771 -$69,524

HAC-D Items

1. Fiscal year 2018 decrease not properly accounted -$20,000

2. Training excess growth -$11.169

3. Transportation excess growth -$2,605

4. Fiscal year 2018 decrease not property accounted -$8,000

5. Program increase - training and operational support of the southwest border +$2,000

6. Program increase - cyber protection teams +$500

7. Program increase - expanded training environment +$1,000

8. Fiscal year 2018 decrease not properly accounted -$15,000

9. Program increase +$80,000

10. Fiscal year 2018 decrease not properly accounted -$5,000

11. Excess growth -$3,466

12. Program increase – SPP +$2,940
Army National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ARNG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY19

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19

SAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

MANEUVER UNITS $42,519 $42,519 -

MODULAR SUPPORT BRIGADES $778 $778 -

ECHELONS ABOVE BRIGADE $12,093 $12,093 -

THEATER LEVEL ASSETS $708 $708 -

AVIATION ASSETS $28,135 $28,135 -

FORCE READINESS 

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

$5,908 $5,908 -

BASE OPERATIONS SUPPORT $18,877 $18,877 -

MANAGEMENT AND 

OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

$956 $956 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE 

(BAC-01) $109,974 $109,974 -

SERVICEWIDE 

COMMUNICATIONS $755 $755 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 

FOUR (BAC-04) $110,729 $110,729 -

TOTAL, ARNG O&M (OCO) $110,729 $110,729 -
 Air National Guard

Air National Guard Personnel

(All Dollars in Thousands)

ANG Personnel Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

PAY GROUP A TRAINING (15 

DAYS & DRILLS 24/48) $989,368 $989,368 -

PAY GROUP F TRAINING 

(RECRUITS) $85,771 $85,771 -

PAY GROUP P TRAINING 

(PIPELINE RECRUITS) $8,113 $8,113 -

SCHOOL TRAINING $334,293 $334,293 -

SPECIAL TRAINING $167,411 $168,6711 +$1,260

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT $2,099,045 $2,098,0452 -$1,000

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN 

MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS $25,177 $25,177 -

EDUCATION BENEFITS $16,202 $16,202 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY 1 

(BAC-01) $3,725,380 $3,725,640 +$260

UNDISTRIBUTED ADJUSTMENT - -$20,200 -$20,200

TRAUMA TRAINING +1,800 +$1,800

Total, National Guard Personnel, 

Air Force $3,725,380 $3,707,240 ·$18,140

HAC-D Items

1. Program increase – SPP +$1,260

2. Historical underexecution -$1,000

Air National Guard Personnel (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG Personnel (OCO) 

Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

SPECIAL TRAINING $5,460 $5,460 -
Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance 

ANG O&M Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D 

Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

Delta 

from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS $2,619,940 2,579,9401 -$40,000

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $623,265 623,8052 +$540

DEPOT MAINTENANCE $748,287 $748,287 -

FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, 

RESTORATION & MODERNIZATION $303,792 343,7923 +$40,000

CONTRACTOR LOGISTICS SUPPORT 

AND SYSTEM SUPPORT $1,061,759 $1,061,759 -

BASE OPERATING SUPPORT $988,333 $988,333 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY ONE (BAC01) $6,345,376 $6,345,916 +$540

ADMINISTRATION $45,711 $45,711 -

RECRUITING AND ADVERTISING $36,535 $36,535 -

TOTAL, BUDGET ACTIVITY FOUR 

(BAC-04) $82,246 $82,246 -

RESTORE READINESS - +$10,000

TOTAL, AIR NATIONAL GUARD O&M $6,427,622 $6,438,162 +$10,540

HAC-D Items

1. Unjustified program growth -$40,000

2. Program increase –SPP +$540

3. Program increase -+$40,000

Air National Guard Operations & Maintenance (Overseas Contingency Operations)

ANG O&M (OCO) Appropriation

FY19 

President’s 

Budget 

Request

FY19

HAC-D Mark

Delta from 

Request 

FY19 

SAC-D 

Mark

Delta 

from 

Request

FY19 

Conference

MISSION SUPPORT OPERATIONS $3,560 $3,560

BASE SUPPORT $12,310 $12,310

TOTAL, ANG O&M (OCO) $15,400 $15,400
Legislative Provisions

SEC. 8004. No more than 20 percent of the appropriations in this Act which are limited for obligation during 

the current fiscal year shall be obligated during the last 2 months of the fiscal year: Provided, That this 

section shall not apply to obligations for support of active duty training of reserve components or summer 

camp training of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

SEC. 8031. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to— (1) disestablish, or prepare to 

disestablish, a Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program in accordance with Department of Defense 

Instruction Number 1215.08, dated June 26, 2006; or (2) close, downgrade from host to extension center, or 

place on probation a Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program in accordance with the information 

paper of the Department of the Army titled ‘‘Army Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (SROTC) Program 

Review and Criteria’’, dated January 27, 2014.

SEC. 8040. None of the funds available in this Act may be used to reduce the authorized positions for 

military technicians (dual status) of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve and Air 

Force Reserve for the purpose of applying any administratively imposed civilian personnel ceiling, freeze, or 

reduction on military technicians (dual status), unless such reductions are a direct result of a reduction in 

military force structure.

SEC. 8042. Funds appropriated in this Act for operation and maintenance of the Military Departments, 

Combatant Commands and Defense Agencies shall be available for reimbursement of pay, allowances and 

other expenses which would otherwise be incurred against appropriations for the National Guard and 

Reserve when members of the National Guard and Reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence 

support to Combatant Commands, Defense Agencies and Joint Intelligence Activities, including the activities 

and programs included within the National Intelligence Program and the Military Intelligence Program: 

Provided, That nothing in this section authorizes deviation from established Reserve and National Guard 

personnel and training procedures.

SEC. 8051. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau may 

permit the use of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project by any person or entity on a 

space-available, reimbursable basis. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall establish the amount of 

reimbursement for such use on a case-by-case basis. (b) Amounts collected under subsection (a) shall be 

credited to funds available for the National Guard Distance Learning Project and be available to defray the 

costs associated with the use of equipment of the project under that subsection. Such funds shall be 

available for such purposes without fiscal year limitation.

SEC. 8058. Notwithstanding section 12310(b) of title 10, United States Code, a Reserve who is a member of 

the National Guard serving on full-time National Guard duty under section 502(f) of title 32, United States 

Code, may perform duties in support of the ground-based elements of the National Ballistic Missile Defense 

System.

SEC. 8060. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or his 

designee, may waive payment of all or part of the consideration that otherwise would be required under 

section 2667 of title 10, United States Code, in the case of a lease of personal property for a period not in 

excess of 1 year to any organization specified in section 508(d) of title 32, United States Code, or any other 

youth, social, or fraternal nonprofit organization as may be approved by the Chief of the National Guard 

Bureau, or his designee, on a case-by-case basis.

SEC. 8113. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to propose, plan for, or execute a 

new or additional Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round.

SEC. 8125. None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be obligated or expended to 

divest more than one E-8C aircraft unless the Secretary of the Air Force certifies to the congressional 

defense committees that funds made available in this or any other Act have been obligated pursuant to the 

award of one or more contracts to continue the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System 

recapitalization program.
Report Language 

Trauma Training Program

The Committee recognizes the valuable support that universities, hospitals, and other military partners 

provide by offering civilian-based emergency response trauma and critical care training including public 

health, bio-environmental, and biomedical instruction to sustain capabilities of the National Guard Enhanced 

Response Forces Packages, National Guard Homeland Response Forces, and Army Reserve Consequence 

Management Response Forces. The Committee encourages the Director of the National Guard Bureau and 

the Chiefs of the reserve components to continue pursuing advanced trauma and public health training with 

these civilian partners in order to maintain unit readiness. The Committee also encourages the development 

of enhanced medical and critical care preparedness programs.

Suicide Prevention and Outreach

The Committee is concerned by the number of suicides among servicemembers. The Committee recognizes 

programs like the National Guard Bureau's national counseling and suicide prevention peer-to-peer outreach 

programs are vital to reducing the number of suicides among guardsmen. The Committee encourages the 

Chief of the National Guard Bureau to continue supporting such programs.

Restoring Readiness

The Committee recommends additional readiness funds for the Services within the operation and 

maintenance accounts. This funding shall be used only to improve military readiness, including increased 

training, depot maintenance, and base operations support. None of the funding provided may be used for 

recruiting, marketing, or advertising programs. The readiness funding provided is a congressional special 

interest item. The Secretary of Defense and the Service Secretaries are directed to submit a detailed spend 

plan by sub-activity group not less than 30 days prior to the obligation of these funds.

PFOS/PFOA Exposure Assessment

The Committee continues to be concerned about potential perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and 

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) contamination on military installations. The Committee recommends 

$7,000,000 for an exposure assessment, which shall be limited to current or former domestic military 

installations known to have PFOS/PFOA contamination in drinking water, ground water, and any other 

sources of water and relevant exposure pathways. The Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of 

Defense (Energy, Installations, and Environment) to provide a report to the House and Senate 

Appropriations Committees not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act on the Department's 

strategy to execute this funding.

AH-64 Apache

The Committee is aware that the Army is reviewing a decision to increase the size of the four Army National 

Guard AH-64 Apache battalions from 18 to 24 aircraft, and that as a result, the acquisition objective for 

Apache aircraft will increase. The Committee supports such an increase to maximize the operational

availability and lethality of the Army's Apache fleet. The Committee further notes that the Department of 

Defense Appropriations Act, 2018, fully funded the Army's pre-existing acquisition objective for new build 

Apache aircraft. The fiscal year 2019 request, which was submitted prior to the final appropriation for fiscal 

year 2018, included a request for 12 new build aircraft. The Committee recommends an increase of six 

aircraft above the budget request and designates 12 of the 18 total aircraft for the Army National Guard in 

order to accelerate the enhancement of the Guard's Apache battalions. The remaining six aircraft are 

available to the Army for fleet management and replacement of recent operational losses. The Committee 

directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a report to the congressional defense committees on its plans 

with respect to increasing the size of Army National Guard Apache battalions not later than September 30, 

2018.

UH-60M Black Hawk

To accelerate the recapitalization of the Army National Guard's UH-60A fleet, the Committee recommends 

an increase of eight UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft above the budget request of 50, and designates not fewer 

than 15 of the 58 total aircraft for the Army National Guard.
National Guard and Reserve Equipment

The Committee recommends $1,300,000,000 for National Guard and Reserve Equipment. Of that amount, 

$421,000,000 is for the Army National Guard; $421,000,000 is for the Air National Guard; $180,000,000 is 

for the Army Reserve; $65,000,000 is for the Navy Reserve; $13,000,000 is for the Marine Corps Reserve; 

and $200,000,000 is for the Air Force Reserve to meet urgent equipment needs that may arise in the coming 

fiscal year.

This funding will allow the National Guard and reserve components to procure high priority equipment that 

may be used by these units for both their combat missions and their missions in support of State governors. 

The funding within this account is not to be used to procure equipment that has been designated as high 

density critical equipment, major weapon systems, aircraft, and other equipment central to a unit's ability to 

perform its doctrinal mission. The funding within this account is not to be used to procure equipment that 

should be purchased by the senior Service, to expand or accelerate current Service procurement plans, to 

purchase expendable items, or to purchase facilities or equipment for any requirement that can be satisfied 

elsewhere.

The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that the National Guard and Reserve Equipment 

account is executed by the Chiefs of the National Guard and reserve components with priority consideration 

given to the following items: acoustic hailing devices; active electronically scanned array radars; 

crashworthy, ballistically tolerant auxiliary fuel systems for ground and air; fifth generation certified wireless 

mobile mesh self-healing tamper-proof network systems; HMMWV rollover mitigation; joint threat emitters; 

modular small arms ranges/simulation; personal dosimeters; secure voice, text, and data communications for 

joint response and operations; sense and avoid systems; training systems and simulators; and unstabilized 

gunnery trainers and upgrades.

Improved Turbine Engine Program

The Committee understands the Army is advancing research and development of the Improved Turbine 

Engine Program and is exploring ways to accelerate the development and fielding of this program. The 

Improved Turbine Engine Program is intended to develop a more fuel efficient and powerful engine for the 

current UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopter fleets. This new engine will increase operational 

capabilities in high and hot environments, increase range, and improve fuel efficiency while reducing the 

Army's logistics footprint, and operational and support costs.

The Committee recommends fully funding the Improved Turbine Engine Program in fiscal year 2019 and 

encourages the Secretary of the Army to ensure that the program is funded appropriately in future years 

budget submissions.

Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Recapitalization. The fiscal year 2019 budget request 

proposes to terminate the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) recapitalization program 

and removes all funding for the program from the future years defense plan. The Committee strongly 

supports the continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program and notes that the Department of Defense 

Appropriations Act, 2018, provided $405,451,000 for JSTARS recapitalization and prohibited the Secretary of 

the Air Force from reprogramming or otherwise utilizing these funds for any purpose other than the JSTARS 

recapitalization program of record.

The Committee further notes that the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 

Fiscal Year 2019 would limit the use of certain funds until the Secretary of the Air Force certifies that a 

contract has been awarded for JSTARS recapitalization.

The Committee believes that should the Secretary of the Air Force decide to continue the JSTARS 

recapitalization program and award a contract, the funding previously appropriated is sufficient through fiscal 

year 2019 based on previous Air Force budget estimates.

However, since the Air Force removed funding for the program in the future years defense plan and is in the 

process of formulating its fiscal year 2020 budget request, the Committee recommends an additional 

$623,000,000 to support potential continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program and designates this

funding as a congressional special interest item. In addition, the Committee recommendation includes a 
provision that would prohibit the divestment of more than one legacy E-8C JSTARS aircraft unless the 

Secretary of the Air Force certifies to the congressional defense committees that funds have been obligated 

pursuant to a contract award for continuation of the JSTARS recapitalization program.

The Committee further directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional defense 

committees not later than September 30, 2018, that provides options for continuing the JSTARS 

recapitalization program with an acquisition objective for fewer than 17 aircraft but which can still fulfill known 

combatant commander requirements. The report shall include estimated cost and schedule impacts, 

available options for accelerating the delivery of new JSTARS aircraft, and the timeline for achievement of 

initial operating capability.