HR 1735 PCS
tered into shall be limited to the total amount of 
funding obligated at time of termination. 
(b) REFUELING AND COMPLEX OVERHAUL OF NIM-
ITZ CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Navy 
may carry out the nuclear refueling and complex 
overhaul of each of the following Nimitz class air-
craft carriers: 
(A) U.S.S. George Washington (CVN–73). 
(B) U.S.S. John C. Stennis (CVN–74). 
(C) U.S.S. Harry S. Truman (CVN–75). 
(D) U.S.S. Ronald Reagan (CVN–76). 
(E) U.S.S. George H.W. Bush (CVN–77). 
(2) USE OF INCREMENTAL FUNDING.—With re-
spect to any contract entered into under paragraph 
(1) for the nuclear refueling and complex overhaul 
of a Nimitz class aircraft carrier, the Secretary may 
use incremental funding for a period not to exceed 
six years after advance procurement funds for such 
nuclear refueling and complex overhaul effort are 
first obligated. 
(3) CONDITION FOR OUT-YEAR CONTRACT PAY-
MENTS.—Any contract entered into under paragraph 
(1) shall provide that any obligation of the United 
States to make a payment under the contract for a 
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fiscal year after fiscal year 2016 is subject to the 
availability of appropriations for that purpose for 
that later fiscal year. 
Subtitle D—Air Force Programs 
SEC. 131. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR EX-
ECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS UPGRADES FOR 
C–20 AND C–37 AIRCRAFT. 
(a) LIMITATION.—Except as provided by subsection 
(b), none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2016 
for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to upgrade 
the executive communications of C–20 and C–37 aircraft 
until the date on which the Secretary of the Air Force 
certifies in writing to the congressional defense commit-
tees that such upgrades do not— 
(1) cause such aircraft to exceed any weight 
limitation; or 
(2) reduce the operational capability of such 
aircraft. 
(b) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the limita-
tion in subsection (a) if the Secretary— 
(1) determines that such waiver is necessary for 
the national security interests of the United States; 
and 
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(2) notifies the congressional defense commit-
tees of such waiver. 
SEC. 132. BACKUP INVENTORY STATUS OF A–10 AIRCRAFT. 
(a) MAXIMUM NUMBER.—In carrying out section 
133(b)(2)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 Stat. 
3315), the Secretary of the Air Force may not move more 
than 18 A–10 aircraft in the active component to backup 
flying status pursuant to an authorization made by the 
Secretary of Defense under such section. 
(b) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Such 
section 
133(b)(2)(A) is amended by striking ‘‘36’’ and inserting 
‘‘18’’. 
SEC. 133. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
RETIREMENT OF A–10 AIRCRAFT. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
RETIREMENT.—Except as provided by section 132, none 
of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or 
otherwise made available for fiscal year 2016 for the Air 
Force may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare to 
retire, or place in storage or on backup aircraft inventory 
status any A–10 aircraft. 
(b) ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON RETIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by sec-
tion 132, and in addition to the limitation in sub-
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section (a), during the period before December 31, 
2016, the Secretary of the Air Force may not retire, 
prepare to retire, or place in storage or on backup 
flying status any A–10 aircraft. 
(2) MINIMUM INVENTORY REQUIREMENT.—The 
Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure the Air 
Force maintains a minimum of 171 A–10 aircraft 
designated as primary mission aircraft inventory. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR 
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN MANNING LEVELS.—None 
of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or 
otherwise made available for fiscal year 2016 for the Air 
Force may be obligated or expended to make significant 
reductions to manning levels with respect to any A–10 air-
craft squadrons or divisions. 
(d) ADDITIONAL LIMITATION ON SIGNIFICANT RE-
DUCTIONS IN MANNING LEVELS.—In addition to the limi-
tation in subsection (c), during the period before Decem-
ber 31, 2016, the Secretary of the Air Force may not 
make significant reductions to manning levels with respect 
to any A–10 aircraft squadrons or divisions. 
(e) STUDY ON REPLACEMENT CAPABILITY REQUIRE-
MENTS
OR MISSION PLATFORM
FOR
THE A–10 AIR-
CRAFT.— 
(1) INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the 
Air Force shall commission an appropriate enti-
ty outside the Department of Defense to con-
duct an assessment of the required capabilities 
or mission platform to replace the A–10 air-
craft. This assessment would represent pre-
paratory work to inform an analysis of alter-
natives. 
(B) ELEMENTS.—The assessment required 
under subparagraph (A) shall include each of 
the following: 
(i) Future needs analysis for the cur-
rent A–10 aircraft mission set to include 
troops-in-contact/close 
air 
support, 
air 
interdiction, strike control and reconnais-
sance, and combat search and rescue sup-
port in both contested and uncontested 
battle environments. At a minimum, the 
needs analysis should specifically address 
the following areas: 
(I) The ability to safely and ef-
fectively 
conduct 
troops-in-contact/ 
danger close missions or missions in 
close proximity to civilians in the 
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