In hearings ahead of drafting the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), U.S. lawmakers are examining how the war involving Iran is contributing to higher aviation fuel prices and what that could mean for the Department of Defense’s aviation budget. Across the outlets, lawmakers focus on the potential for increased costs affecting military readiness and planning, particularly for air operations that rely on fuel purchases. The discussions center on whether projected fuel price increases should be reflected in upcoming defense spending and how they might affect cost estimates for aviation programs and related expenditures. Lawmakers also consider the timing of the NDAA process and the need to translate changing fuel market conditions into defense forecasts. The reporting describes a shared concern that fuel cost volatility tied to broader conflict conditions could strain budgets and complicate planning for the services’ aviation activities as Congress prepares its FY2027 defense legislation.