
The House Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill would prohibit the U.S. Air Force from divesting five of 15 Boeing [BA] E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft until the service presents a requirements assessment and an acquisition plan for the aircraft's designated replacement, the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail. The Air Force's fiscal 2023 budget request asks Congress to permit the retirement of 15 of the service's 31 AWACS planes to save operations and maintenance…