National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
Floor Speech
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Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support today of H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027.
I thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in putting together this critical piece of legislation. I also thank my friend and subcommittee Ranking Member Don Norcross for his partnership in leading the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces.
Also, I thank our Tactical Air and Land professional staff: Michael Kirlin, Heath Bope, Caroline Kehrli, Brooke Alred, Amelia Litynski, Jay Vallario, and Andrew Smith.
The FY27 NDAA takes several steps to ensure that our servicemembers operate with unmatched capabilities to deter and defeat any adversaries.
This bill allows the Secretary of War to enter into multiyear procurement contracts for both the F-15EX and F-35 aircraft.
H.R. 8800 prioritizes helicopter and rotorcraft procurement, authorizing the purchase of additional Chinook, Black Hawk, and Grey Wolf helicopters. It also fully funds the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program to continue development of the MV-75 Cheyenne.
Our forces must excel in both offensive and counter-small UAS mission sets.
This bill also assists the Department in achieving this by standardizing sUAS operating systems, establishing sUAS test ranges to inform and accelerate drone innovation.
To counter such systems, the bill strengthens the definition of counter-UAS systems and applies standards for networked, autonomous, kinetic capabilities for sUAS defense.
This NDAA also emphasizes the importance of our munitions supply. It directs the Army to expand and upgrade facilities used to manufacture 155-millimeter artillery rounds and advances the integration of novel energetics into weapon systems.
Lastly, the bill leans into innovation by expediting the development and procurement of nontraditional intermediate-range fires capabilities.
Mr. Chairman, this is an extremely strong bill that sends a signal to our servicemembers that we have their back. I urge this bill's passage.
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