The FY 2027 NDAA sees lawmakers back new right-to-repair measures, anti-drone initiatives, and new A-10 restrictions on retirement.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has advanced a number of provisions as part of its markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will now advance in the legislative process. The proposed new measures combine support for emerging military technologies, acquisition reform initiatives, and continued congressional oversight of legacy aircraft programs like the A-10 Thunderbolt II.
Among the bill’s provisions are renewed efforts by Congress to expand the authority of the military’s “right to repair,” which has been a long-standing point of debate. According to the text of the bill approved by HASCSteps are being taken to improve access to the technical data, maintenance information and repair resources that military personnel and depots need to maintain equipment without excessive dependence on original manufacturers.
Supporters argue the reforms would reduce costs, improve readiness and allow service members to repair equipment faster in operational environments. The debate mainly revolved around intellectual property restrictions and control of maintenance data by contractors, which manufacturers said the reform could have put at risk.
Reflecting lessons learned from recent conflicts by U.S. forces, emphasis was placed on counter-drone capabilities. The text highlights concerns about the increasing use of low-cost unmanned aircraft systems in modern conflicts and the challenge of defeating large numbers of inexpensive drones with comparatively expensive interceptors.
The committee specifically recognizes the need for low-cost, wear-ready interceptor solutions capable of countering massive drone attacks against military installations and deployed forces. This reflects lessons seen in recent conflicts, where low-cost air threats have placed significant pressure on traditional air defense networks and highlighted the asymmetry of costs involved for attacker and defender.
The package also contains language that could significantly affect the future of the A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet. In fact, lawmakers included provisions requiring the US Air Force to meet several conditions before retiring more A-10 aircraft, which could extend service life once again.
As we often report, there is a long-running dispute between Congress and the Air Force over the future of close air support aircraft. While Air Force leaders have repeatedly sought to retire the A-10 to free up resources for modernization priorities, many lawmakers continue to argue that the aircraft retains unique operational value and should not be sold prematurely.
Right to repair
One of the provisions adopted by the House Armed Services Committee concerns military authorities having the right to make repairs, an issue that has gained increasing attention as maintenance costs continue to rise on major defense programs. The committee’s language seeks to address concerns about the lack of sufficient access to technical data, software tools, diagnostic equipment, and intellectual property necessary to independently maintain and repair military equipment.
For years, lawmakers and Pentagon officials have argued that relying on original equipment manufacturers for maintenance and repairs can create readiness bottlenecks while increasing life cycle costs. In many cases, the problem was attributed to military personnel not possessing the necessary technical information or proprietary tools to perform certain repairs on their own.
Manufacturers often argue that protections are necessary to safeguard intellectual property and prevent transfers to third parties. On the other hand, supporters of right-to-repair measures argue that the government should have greater authority to maintain equipment it has already purchased.
Now, the language approved by the committee would strengthen the Pentagon’s ability to obtain maintenance-related information and ensure that maintenance considerations are addressed earlier during acquisition processes. The goal is to reduce long-term dependence on contractors while improving operational readiness and affordability.
Approach against UAS
The document places special emphasis on unmanned anti-aircraft systems (C-UAS), highlighting policymakers’ growing concern about the proliferation of inexpensive drones on modern battlefields and the cost asymmetry between these systems and interceptors. The bill’s language specifically recognizes the challenge posed by large numbers of low-cost drones, which can overwhelm traditional air defense systems by their sheer volume.
Recent conflicts have shown how commercially sourced drones, one-way attack drones, and other low-cost unmanned systems can threaten military bases, logistics centers, command centers, and maneuver forces, sometimes even evading detection until the last moment. At the same time, they impose disproportionate costs on defenders.
A key issue within the legislation is the need for low-cost, “ready-to-wear” interceptor systems, which would be used to conduct mass drone strikes cost-effectively without relying solely on expensive surface-to-air missiles. This reflects a growing recognition that using interceptors costing hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars against drones worth only a few thousand dollars may not be sustainable over prolonged operations.
The committee also turns its attention to technologies capable of supporting layered defenses, including kinetic interceptors, directed energy weapons, electronic warfare systems, and autonomous counter-drone platforms. The emphasis on C-UAS reflects broader Pentagon priorities following lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, where drones have become a persistent feature of the operating environment.
Retirement plans A-10
The committee’s action regarding the A-10 Thunderbolt II represents the latest development in a years-long fight between Congress and the U.S. Air Force over the future of the close air support aircraft. For more than a decade, Air Force leaders have sought to retire the A-10 fleet, with lawmakers rejecting the plans.
The service often argued that the aircraft’s aging structures, increasing sustainment requirements, and limited survivability in highly contested environments make continued investment difficult to justify. The goal was to redirect resources dedicated to the A-10 toward new aircraft, advanced weapons and other modernization priorities.
Many policymakers, however, remain unconvinced that a complete replacement for the A-10’s mission currently exists. The aircraft’s ability to operate at low altitudes, loiter around the battlefield, carry significant artillery payloads, and provide direct support to ground forces has continued to generate support in Congress despite ongoing efforts to retire it.
Therefore, the committee would impose additional restrictions on the Air Force’s plans by requiring greater oversight, reporting and certification before additional A-10s can be retired. The first restriction would have the service support A-10 training, testing, sustainment and maintenance activities through 2030, reversing the end of training, testing and Weapons School activities planned for 2026.
Given that sooner or later the A-10 will be retired, the committee calls for a “competitive experimentation plan for autonomous and non-traditional capabilities relevant to the A-10 mission.” Meanwhile, any A-10 aircraft considered retired through 2030 “should be evaluated for possible transfer to another military department,” the bill says.
Additionally, the committee requests a report on “the combat employment of the A-10, its recent operational relevance, lessons for future force design, and modernization options.” Finally, it also authorizes the reconstitution of the A-10 Demonstration Team, which was disbanded in 2024.
