# 119-hr-1851: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025

119-hr-1851, Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE); status introduced (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1851
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1851
- Congress: 119
- Title: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-05
- Sponsor: Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE)
- Cosponsors: 40
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-11-04

## Summary

**Raises the Air Force's minimum fighter counts and forces a paced recapitalization while protecting Air National Guard squadrons.** This bill would increase required fighter aircraft totals and set rules to speed delivery of new fighters to existing squadrons.

## Cosponsors (40)

- Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6] (D-CO), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] (R-MI), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3] (D-MD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. James, John [R-MI-10] (R-MI), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9] (D-OH), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1] (R-MD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Dusty [R-SD-At Large] (R-SD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5] (D-MD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simpson, Michael K. [R-ID-2] (R-ID), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2] (D-MD), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1] (D-NC), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1] (R-MN), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5] (R-SC), 2025-03-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Timmons, William R. [R-SC-4] (R-SC), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7] (D-CO), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] (R-SC), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1] (R-SC), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] (R-OK), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2] (R-IN), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (D-NJ), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-21] (R-FL), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Messmer, Mark B. [R-IN-8] (R-IN), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8] (R-MN), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6] (R-AZ), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1] (D-MA), 2025-04-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2025-04-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24] (D-CA), 2025-05-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] (D-MD), 2025-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Tim [R-NC-14] (R-NC), 2025-06-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2025-06-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3] (R-IN), 2025-06-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham J. [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ), 2025-07-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4] (D-AZ), 2025-07-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2025-07-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11] (R-TX), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2025-07-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3] (D-MA), 2025-09-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Most new fighters to existing squadrons: benefit, medium. For every four new advanced, fifth‑generation, or next‑generation fighters the Air Force accepts, at least three would go to squadrons that already exist and are service‑retained. For each such delivery, the Air Force could retire one legacy fighter in that squadron on a one‑for‑one basis. This wou…
- Protect and recapitalize Air National Guard: benefit, medium. From December 23, 2024 through October 1, 2030, the bill would require at least 25 Air National Guard fighter squadrons to be kept. It would bar retiring, defunding, or placing into excess status aircraft in those squadrons, except individual jets that are uneconomical to repair after accidents or…
- Quarterly fighter inventory reports to Congress: benefit, low. The Air Force would file an initial report within 90 days of enactment, then a report every fiscal‑quarter through September 30, 2030. Reports would list new fighters received, vendors, model prefixes, unit assignments by component, distribution ratios, retirements by unit, and any planned recapita…
- Higher Air Force fighter totals, short dips: mixed, high. The bill would raise the fighter target to 1,900 aircraft and the minimum counted inventory to 1,200. It would move the deadline to meet these targets to October 1, 2030. To swap old jets for new ones, it would allow a temporary dip, but never below 1,800 aircraft and for no more than two years. Be…
- Clear definitions for fighter types: mixed, low. The bill would define which jets count as advanced capability, fifth‑generation, legacy, and next‑generation air dominance. It would name examples like F‑16 Block 70/72 and F‑15EX as advanced, and F‑22 and F‑35 as fifth‑generation, while excluding upgraded legacy variants from the advanced category…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act
- 119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
- 119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-1851 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1851)

## Related
- [119-hr-2102: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2102)
- [119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-909)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-452)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1851 (as of 2026-11-04).