What to Watch as Senate, House Start Crafting Conference 2026 NDAA

The Senate passed its version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization bill late Oct. 9 with new language restricting retirements for B-1 bombers and E-3 AWACS aircraft. Now lawmakers from the House and Senate must set about resolving the differences between their two bills, which could lead to significantly different outcomes for the Air Force and Space Force. 

Senators approved the defense policy bill in a landslide 77-20 vote after voting on 17 individual amendments and a manager’s packet of uncontroversial proposals. Two of those agreed to dealt with Air Force platforms: 

An amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) extending until fiscal 2031 a prohibition on the Air Force modifying “the designed operational capability statement for any B-1 bomber aircraft squadron … in a manner that would reduce the capabilities of such a squadron”—in effect ensuring the Air Force cannot reduce the size of the fleet, a provision that has led the service to bring several B-1s out of retirement to replace damaged aircraft. 
An amendment from Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) prohibiting the Air Force from retiring any of the 16 E-3 AWACS aircraft left in the fleet, unless the service submits a plan showing how it can fulfill the mission requirements for the E-3 in another way or it procures new E-7 Wedgetail aircraft. 

The Air Force hadn’t announced plans to retire any more B-1s or E-3s in fiscal 2026, but the Senate amendments show lawmakers are eager to keep the venerable but aging aircraft flying as USAF works on successors. 

The carve-out in Lankford’s amendment for E-7 procurement in particular is another sign that lawmakers are intent on saving the Wedgetail after the Pentagon announced plans to cancel the program during its 2026 budget request rollout. 

In the Senate version of the NDAA, there is an extra $700 million authorized for “continued development and procurement” of the E-7. In the House version, there is an extra $600 million for continued rapid prototyping, plus a section prohibiting the Air Force from terminating its rapid prototyping contract or a production line for the E-7. 

The fate of the Wedgetail remains very much up in the air. The Air Force has awarded a contract to Boeing to build two prototypes of the airborne early warning and control aircraft, and in September the British government announced plans for Boeing to assemble those planes at a U.K. facility. But during his confirmation hearing to be the next Chief of Staff of the Air Force on Oct. 9, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach declined to comment on the future of the E-7, merely saying that he supported programs that provide domain awareness. 

Beyond the E-7, the two versions of the NDAA vary in other ways. 

The Senate version authorizes funds to procure an extra 10 F-35As on top of the 24 requested by the Air Force. The House version sticks with 24. 

The House NDAA prohibits the Air Force from retiring any A-10 close air support jets and requires a briefing on the service’s plan for the fleet, which it has long sought to divest. The Senate NDAA prohibits the Air Force from retiring any A-10s—unless the service submits a detailed “recapitalization” plan for any unit losing aircraft. 

The House version would cut authorized procurement for the KC-46 aerial refueler by $300 million, potentially trimming the buy by one or two aircraft next year. The House measure also proposes trimming research and development for new KC-46 capabilities by $80 million, citing a “program delay.” The Senate version does not touch the KC-46 budget request. 

On the Space Force side, the House NDAA authorizes funding for an additional GPS III Follow-on satellite, while the Senate version does not. The Senate version directs the Space Force to continue operating the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program for as long as possible, while the House version is silent on the issue.