Frontline Fighter Force First Act Mandates Air Force Replace All Older Jets with Advanced Fighters, Starting with Most Deployed Squadrons

The Frontline Fighter Force First Act is a mandate to modernize the Air Force’s fighter fleet. Simply put, this bill requires the Secretary of the Air Force to stop flying old jets and replace them with advanced aircraft—like the F-15EX or F-35—until every single active duty fighter wing is flying the new stuff. This massive swap-out has to start with the squadrons that deploy the most, specifically those on the road at least 30% of the time, before moving on to the rest of the fleet (SEC. 3).

The Upgrade: Why Your Tax Dollars Are Buying New Wings

This isn't just about shiny new toys; it’s about readiness and capability. The bill’s findings highlight that older jets, like the F-15E, are seeing mission-capable rates drop—sometimes as low as 55% for the Block 220 models. For the busy citizen, this translates into a national security insurance policy. The Air Force is being told to prioritize keeping production lines open for at least one type of advanced fighter until the entire frontline force is recapitalized (SEC. 3). The idea is to make sure the U.S. military’s most frequently deployed units—the ones scrambling to handle global crises, like the recent defense against Iranian attacks mentioned in the findings—have the best equipment available.

The Procurement Pipeline and Paperwork

To ensure this actually happens, the Secretary must either sign a new contract or modify an existing one to buy more of these advanced fighters. The bill also builds in a layer of oversight that should appeal to anyone who hates government waste. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to step in, review any problems the Air Force runs into while trying to buy these jets, and offer solutions. They have one year to brief Congress, followed by a final report 30 days later (SEC. 3).

After the GAO report drops, the Air Force must report back to Congress annually on two things: how they are implementing the GAO’s advice and the progress they’ve made in replacing the older jets. This creates a mandatory paper trail, making it harder for the Air Force to drag its feet on modernization or ignore procurement issues.

What This Means for the Wallet and the Workforce

For the average taxpayer, this bill guarantees a massive, sustained investment in military hardware. Replacing an entire fleet of frontline fighters is an enormous, multi-year, multi-billion-dollar commitment. While the bill aims for better readiness (a benefit), the cost will be significant. Defense contractors producing the F-15EX and F-35 are clear beneficiaries, as the bill mandates continued production and purchasing.

For the airmen and women, especially those at bases like Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, this means a shift. While the findings praise the incredible heroism of F-15E pilots and maintainers, the mandate is clear: those legacy F-15E platforms must be replaced. This means frontline personnel will be transitioning to newer, more complex aircraft, requiring extensive retraining and new maintenance protocols. The bill prioritizes the most deployed units for this transition, meaning those airmen will feel the change first, trading the known quantities of the older Strike Eagles for the advanced capabilities of the new generation.