# 119-s-873: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025

119-s-873, Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID); status introduced (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-873
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-873
- Congress: 119
- Title: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-05
- Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID)
- Cosponsors: 18
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**This bill would raise the Air Force's minimum fighter inventory to 1,900 and require prioritizing recapitalization for existing squadrons.** It also tightens reporting and limits how long the total fleet can be reduced during recapitalization.

## Cosponsors (18)

- Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (D-MI), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN] (R-IN), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (R-TX), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA), 2025-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-06-17T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Clear definitions for fighter types: benefit, high. If enacted, this bill would add clear definitions for terms used in the recapitalization rules. It would define advanced capability fighters (including F‑16 Block 70/72 and F‑15EX, but not upgraded legacy variants), fifth‑generation fighters (F‑22 and F‑35), legacy capability fighters (pre‑fifth‑ge…
- Higher Air Force fighter targets: benefit, high. If enacted, this bill would raise the Air Force's minimum total fighter aircraft goal from 1,800 to 1,900. It would raise the high‑intensity legacy target from 1,145 to 1,200. It would move the deadline to meet the inventory to October 1, 2030. These changes would work with separate rules that allo…
- New fighters prioritized to existing squadrons: benefit, high. If enacted, this bill would require that at least three of every four new advanced, fifth‑generation, or next‑generation fighters accepted by the Air Force be assigned to squadrons that existed on the date of enactment and are service retained. For each new aircraft delivered to such a squadron, th…
- Protecting Air National Guard squadrons: benefit, high. If enacted, this bill would require keeping at least 25 Air National Guard fighter squadrons from December 23, 2024 through October 1, 2030, including the 25 that existed on December 23, 2024. It would bar retiring, cutting funding for, or placing in inactive status fighters assigned to those squad…
- Quarterly fighter inventory reporting rule: benefit, medium. If enacted, this bill would require the Secretary of the Air Force to report to congressional defense committees within 90 days of enactment and every fiscal quarter through September 30, 2030. Each report must list new aircraft received, mission series prefixes, vendors, assignments by component,…
- Temporary fighter reductions allowed: mixed, high. If enacted, this bill would let the Secretary temporarily lower the fighter inventory goal to help recapitalize units moving to new fighters. Any temporary cut could not drop the total below 1,800 aircraft. Any allowed reduction could not last more than two years. The Secretary must notify the cong…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-1032: Major Richard Star Act
- 119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former United States Senator for the State of Kansas.
- 119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewellyn Kyl, former Senator for the State of Arizona.
- 119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham, a Senator from the State of South Carolina.

## Sources
- [119-s-873 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/873)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-1032: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1032)
- [119-sres-913: A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former Uni…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-913)
- [119-sres-897: A resolution honoring the life, service, and legacy of the Honorable Jon Llewel…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-897)
- [119-sres-801: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the Honorable Lindsey Olin Graham,…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-801)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-873 (as of 2025-12-21).