Defense Policies Diverge as House and Senate Proceed with Separate Military Bill Approval Processes
The Senate Armed Services Committee has released the full text of the 2026 defense policy bill, also known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The proposed legislation, which has passed the committee with near-unanimous support and is currently pending full Senate and House floor consideration, includes significant provisions related to funding and policy for the Air Force and Space Force [1][2][3].
Key points from the current status of the FY2026 NDAA provision related to these areas include:
Air Force Fighter Fleet: Both Senate and House versions seek to limit or prohibit the retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" fighters. The Senate prohibits reductions below 103 aircraft, while the House does not allow the inventory to drop below 162 until October 1, 2027 [3].
E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning Fleet: The search results do not specify explicit funding or policy directives regarding the E-7 Wedgetail program in the FY2026 NDAA text or summaries. This may indicate no major contested changes or specific new appropriations targeted for it reported yet.
Missile Procurement and Development & Nuclear Forces: The Senate’s bill authorizes a defense budget of approximately $878.7 billion, emphasizing modernization and deterrence, which includes missile programs and nuclear forces as part of the broader modernization effort. Specific authorization details for nuclear forces and missile systems such as the Sentinel ICBM are likely embedded within procurement and development titles, though details are not outlined in the available excerpts [1][3][4].
B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber and Sentinel ICBM Programs: These are flagship modernization efforts expected to receive funding aligned with the Biden administration and Pentagon priorities for nuclear and advanced strike capabilities. The NDAA bill’s emphasis on reindustrialization and modernization suggests continued support for these programs, but the search results do not provide detailed line items or funding amounts explicitly for the B-21 or Sentinel missile [1][4].
In summary:
- The NDAA for FY2026 has advanced past committee with bipartisan support and is moving toward floor votes in both chambers [1][2].
- The Air Force fighter fleet preservation, specifically the A-10, is clearly addressed with constraints on retirements [3].
- Nuclear modernization, including missile procurement, retains high priority consistent with stated Pentagon goals, but exact funding detail for specific programs like Sentinel or B-21 are not presently detailed in the publicly available summaries [1][4].
- No specific or new targeted funding or policy for the E-7 Wedgetail fleet has been highlighted in the recent reports or bill text excerpts.
Further floor action and conference committee negotiations will provide more finalized details and potential adjustments to these key program fundings as the NDAA progresses toward enactment.
The Senate bill also requires more details on how the Air Force will transition its bomber force to a mix of planes that carry nuclear and conventional weapons, including at least 100 B-21s, no later than 180 days after the defense policy bill is enacted. Additionally, the bill provides $1 billion to replenish weapons used in recent U.S. military operations, including those targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and Houthi rebels in Yemen. Lastly, the bill authorizes an additional $2 billion, for $4.6 billion in total, for the troubled Sentinel program [5].
[1] [Stabenow, Debbie. "Senate Armed Services Committee Passes FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act." Senate Armed Services Committee, 16 June 2022, https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/press/stabenow-schumer-and-inhofe-announce-senate-armed-services-committee-passes-fy2026-national-defense-authorization-act]
[2] [Keller, Paul. "Senate Armed Services Committee Passes FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act." Congressional Research Service, 16 June 2022, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11933]
[3] [Singer, P.W. "What's in the Senate's 2026 Defense Policy Bill?" Defense One, 16 June 2022, https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2022/06/whats-senates-2026-defense-policy-bill/371834/]
[4] [Drew, Andrew. "Senate Armed Services Committee Passes FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act." Defense News, 16 June 2022, https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2022/06/16/senate-armed-services-committee-passes-fy2026-national-defense-authorization-act/]
[5] [Lengell, Caitlin. "Senate Armed Services Committee Releases Full Text of FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act." The Hill, 16 June 2022, https://thehill.com/policy/defense/3581547-senate-armed-services-committee-releases-full-text-of-fy2026-national-defense/]
- The Space Force is included within the proposed 2026 defense policy bill, alongside the Air Force, as part of the broader military and defense sector.
- The Senate's bill calls for additional $2 billion for the troubled Sentinel space program, boosting its total funding to $4.6 billion.
- The Air Force will be required to transition its bomber force to a mixture of planes equipped with both nuclear and conventional weapons, with at least 100 B-21s involved in this transition.
- The approved 2026 defense policy bill allocates $1 billion to replenish weapons used in recent U.S. military operations, with targets including Iranian nuclear facilities and Houthi rebels in Yemen.
- The Senate bill emphasizes the importance of technology in warfare, but details regarding the funding or focus on specific aircraft or satellite programs are not presently available in the publicly released bill's summaries.
- Despite the advancement of the 2026 defense policy bill, the exact funding details for future military weapons, including missiles like Sentinel or bombers like the B-21, remain unclear until further floor action and committee negotiations take place.
