This bill directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA) to acquire and maintain manned aircraft for air, atmosphere, and weather reconnaissance and research missions. It requires NOAA to collect real-time meteorological, oceanographic, and atmospheric observations and make that data available in near real-time for research and operational uses, including forecasting, warning, and reconnaissance missions. The bill requires the capability to safely conduct direct airborne penetration of hurricanes and tropical cyclones and to maintain continuity of hurricane reconnaissance during any aircraft recapitalization or transition, including backup capabilities to avoid a single point of failure. It requires maintaining and replacing airborne radar and remote sensing capabilities, including Tail Doppler Radar or successor technology. The bill sets the fleet size at not fewer than 6 but not more than 9 manned aircraft, allows multiyear contracts for acquisition and maintenance (with an exception to the usual contract duration limit for aircraft contracts), and requires NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps aviators to be maintained for these missions. It also moves the statutory text into the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 and updates authorized funding and fiscal years.
If you live in areas affected by hurricanes, the bill authorizes NOAA to buy and operate manned aircraft and the radar and sensors needed to collect and share near real-time weather and ocean data used for research, forecasting, warning, and reconnaissance missions. The bill requires continuity of aircraft-based hurricane reconnaissance during transitions and keeps NOAA aviators on staff. It also allows longer-term contracts for buying and supporting these aircraft.
The bill authorizes appropriations as written in the amended statute: $2,500,000,000 for acquisition of aircraft for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It also authorizes $45,000,000 for aviation operations and aircraft services by NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The bill permits the use of multiyear contracts for acquisition and maintenance, subject to applicable safeguards and contracting law.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.