North Carolina Senator Ted Budd is pushing a new bipartisan bill to completely overhaul the nation's aging weather fleet and help protect coastal communities from severe storms.
Teaming up with congressional leaders, Senator Budd introduced the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Recapitalization Act. The new bill addresses a major threat to storm-prone states like North Carolina by authorizing a much-needed upgrade for NOAA’s aging aircraft.
As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Budd explained that the first line of defense against massive hurricanes relies on accurate, real-time data. For the first time, this bill would officially lock the Hurricane Hunter mission into federal law. It also secures $2.5 billion to expand the fleet up to nine advanced C-130J aircraft.
The upgrade comes at a critical time. NOAA's primary hurricane-hunting planes are set to retire in 2030, meaning the clock is ticking. Budd warns that without these new planes, local leaders won't have the reliable tracking data they need to make life-saving evacuation decisions.
On top of buying new aircraft, Budd said the legislation guarantees funding for advanced radar upgrades and specialized pilot training to keep the missions flying safely.
