S 4802
Cleared committee
Directs NOAA to acquire and maintain between 6 and 9 manned hurricane reconnaissance aircraft and authorizes $2.5 billion for aircraft acquisition for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Official title: Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act
Timeline each lane is a chamber; dates pull from congress.gov actions
Senate
Introduced
17-JUN-2026
Referred
17-JUN-2026
Approved by committee
22-JUL-2026
- Renames and moves NOAA's aircraft acquisition authority from the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 into the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 as section 413.
- Requires NOAA to keep the capability to fly directly into hurricanes, maintain radar such as Tail Doppler Radar, and keep backup aircraft to avoid a single point of failure.
- Authorizes $2.5 billion for aircraft for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 and $45 million per year for aviation operations and aircraft services in the same years.
- Allows multiyear aircraft contracts with an exception to the usual contract duration limit, and requires NOAA to keep qualified NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps aviators.
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■ 3 R■ 2 D
3 Republicans
2 Democrats