National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

This Act may be cited as the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026”.

(a) Divisions.— This Act is organized into 8 divisions as follows:

(1) Division A—Department of Defense Authorizations.

(2) Division B—Military Construction Authorizations.

(3) Division C—Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations.

(4) Division D—Funding Tables.

(5) Division E—Department of State Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

(6) Division F—Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

(7) Division G—Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025.

(8) Division H—Other Matters.

(b) Table of contents.— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

In this Act:

(1) In divisions A through D, the term “this Act” refers to divisions A through D.

(2) The term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purposes of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled “Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation” for this Act, jointly submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the Chairmen of the House and Senate Budget Committees, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage in the House acting first on the conference report or amendment between the Houses.

The joint explanatory statement regarding this Act, printed in the House section of the Congressional Record on or about December 10, 2025, by the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, shall have the same effect with respect to the implementation of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 for procurement for the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Space Force, and Defense-wide activities, as specified in the funding table in section 4101.

Section 112(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 U.S.C. 7013 note) is amended by inserting “2027,” after “fiscal years 2025,”.

(a) Authority for multiyear procurement.— Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Army may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2027 program year, for the procurement of UH–60 Blackhawk aircraft.

(b) Condition for out-year contract payments.— A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year after fiscal year 2027 is subject to the availability of appropriations or funds for that purpose for such later fiscal year.

(c) Authority for advance procurement.— The Secretary of the Army may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2026, for advance procurement associated with the aircraft for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such aircraft when cost savings are achievable.

(a) Authorization.— The Secretary of the Army may enter into contracts, in advance of full-rate production, for the procurement of future long-range assault aircraft as part of an accelerated low-rate early production effort for such aircraft.

(b) Objectives.— In carrying out the early production effort described in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall pursue the following objectives:

(1) To expedite delivery of future long-range assault aircraft operational capability to the warfighter.

(2) To maintain momentum and learning continuity between test article completion and full production ramp-up.

(3) To stabilize and retain the specialized workforce and industrial base supporting future assault aircraft, including critical suppliers and production facilities.

(4) To mitigate cost escalation risks and improve program affordability across the life cycle.

(c) Considerations.— In executing the authority provided by subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) prioritize program continuity, cost-efficiency, and workforce retention across the supply chain for tiltrotor aircraft;

(2) ensure that aircraft procured as part of the early production effort described in subsection (a) incorporate lessons learned from test article evaluations;

(3) maintain flexibility in design to accommodate future upgrades through the modular open systems architecture and digital backbone;

(4) ensure that the program completes a rigorous developmental test flight campaign prior to delivering the platform to the operational forces; and

(5) ensure that the program completes a rigorous operational test and evaluation prior to entering into full rate production.

(d) Briefing to Congress.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing detailing—

(1) the implementation plan and timeline for the procurement and early production effort described in subsection (a);

(2) the status of industrial base readiness and supply chain coordination in support of such early production effort; and

(3) estimated long-term cost savings and operational benefits expected to be derived from such early production effort.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of the Army for the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) portfolio of capabilities, not more than 50 percent may be obligated or expended until the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the following:

(1) The Army’s detailed funding plans for current and new procurements for experimentation and final fielding for its tactical network, and a cost and capability assessment of current and proposed solutions.

(2) Testing and fielding plans for any new procurements for such network, including an explanation of—

(A) how any new programs meet the resiliency requirements specified in section 168 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1251); and

(B) how any new programs will utilize NSA High Assurance certified encryption and decryption.

(3) Plans to integrate existing programs of record with new programs of record and plans to ensure all systems are interoperable with both fielded systems of the Army and the systems of foreign partners.

(4) Plans to complete a developmental test campaign and a formal operational test and evaluation prior to fielding new capabilities to the operational forces for use other than for experimentation.

Section 127 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1806) is amended by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:

“(c) Covered F–18 aircraft defined.— In this section, the term covered F–18 aircraft means—

(1) the eight F/A–18E/F Super Hornet aircraft procured using funds authorized and appropriated for the Navy during fiscal year 2023; or

(2) in lieu of an aircraft described in paragraph (1), any Block II or newer F/A–18E/F tactical fighter aircraft that—

(A) has a minimum of 2,000 flight hours of service-life remaining airframe flight time prior to the need for a required high flight-hour inspection and Service Life Modification process; and

(B) is included in the Naval Aviation Master Aviation Plan and designated for the Navy Reserve.

(d) Master aviation plan.— In conjunction with the activities required under this section, the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the Naval Aviation Master Aviation Plan remains up-to-date and relevant with respect to aviation units of the Navy Reserve.”.

(a) Repeal.— Section 122 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 134 Stat. 3425) is repealed.

(b) Requirement.— The Secretary of the Navy may not award a detail design or construction contract or other agreement, or obligate funds from a procurement account, for a covered program unless such contract or other agreement includes a requirement for an operational demonstration of not less than 720 continuous hours without preventative maintenance, corrective maintenance, emergent repair, or any other form of repair or maintenance, on any of the following:

(1) The main propulsion system, including the fuel and lube oil systems.

(2) The electrical generation and distribution system.

(c) Certification.— The Secretary of the Navy may not accept delivery of articles constructed under a contract or other agreement for a covered program until the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that the operational demonstration described in subsection (b) has been successfully completed.

(d) Limitation.— The Secretary of the Navy may not make contract financing payments for a contract or other agreement entered into for a covered program greater than 90 percent for small businesses and 80 percent for all other businesses until the certification described in subsection (c) is submitted.

(e) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Covered program.— The term covered program means a program for—

(A) medium unmanned surface vessels; or

(B) large unmanned surface vessels.

(2) Operational demonstration.— The term operational demonstration means a land-based or sea-based test of the systems concerned in vessel-representative form, fit, and function.

Section 130 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 1665), as most recently amended by section 123 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1805), is further amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting “; recapitalization” after “barriers”;

(2) in subsection (a)—

(A) by striking “subsections (b) and (c)” and inserting “subsection (b)”; and

(B) by striking “through 2025” and inserting “through 2026”;

(3) by striking subsection (b);

(4) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (b) and (c), respectively;

(5) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking “subsection (c)(2)” and inserting “subsection (b)(2)”; and

(6) by adding at the end the following new subsection (d):

“(d) Recapitalization.—

(1) Plan submission.—

(A) In general.— Not later than April 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a recapitalization plan to replace legacy waterborne security barriers for Navy ports.

(B) Elements.— The plan required by subparagraph (A) shall include the following:

(i) A Navy requirements document that specifies key performance parameters and key system attributes for new waterborne security barriers for Navy ports.

(ii) A certification that the level of capability specified under clause (i) will exceed that of legacy waterborne security barriers for Navy ports.

(iii) The acquisition strategy for the recapitalization of waterborne security barriers for Navy ports, which shall meet or exceed the requirements specified under clause (i).

(iv) A certification that any contract for new waterborne security barriers for a Navy port will be awarded in accordance with the requirements for full and open competition set forth in sections 3201 through 3205 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) Implementation.— The Secretary of the Navy shall complete implementation of the plan required by paragraph (1) by not later than September 30, 2027.”.

(a) Contract authority.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of not more than two Ford-class aircraft carriers.

(b) Authority for advance procurement and economic order quantity.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for advance procurement, advance construction, and material and equipment in economic order quantities associated with the procurement of the Ford-class aircraft carriers for which contracts are authorized under subsection (a).

(c) Use of incremental funding.— With respect to a contract entered into under subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary of the Navy may use incremental funding to make payments under the contract.

(d) Liability.— Any contract entered into under subsection (a) or (b) shall provide that—

(1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and

(2) the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of any contract entered into shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at time of termination.

(a) Contract authority.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into a contract, beginning with fiscal year 2026, for the procurement of up to five Columbia-class submarines.

(b) Incremental funding.— With respect to a contract entered into under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy may use incremental funding to make payments under the contract.

(c) Funding and liability.— Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—

(1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and

(2) the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of any contract entered into shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at time of termination.

(a) In general.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, prior to ship authorization, for the advance procurement of covered components for Virginia-class submarines, including procurement of such components in economic order quantities when cost savings are achievable.

(b) Funding and liability.— Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—

(1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and

(2) the total liability to the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated for the contract at the time of termination.

(c) Budget requests.— In the budget justification materials submitted in support of the budget of the Department of Defense (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of the Navy shall include a separate budget display identifying the amounts requested pursuant to this section set forth by the specific program, project, or activity under the Virginia-class submarine program for which such funds are requested.

(d) Covered components defined.— In this section, the term “covered components” means the following components for Virginia-class submarines:

(1) Propulsion plant equipment.

(2) Diesel Systems and associated components.

(3) Castings, forgings, and tank structures.

(4) Air flasks.

(5) Payload tubes.

(6) Major valves and associated components.

(7) Hatches.

(8) Steering and dive components.

(9) Major pumps and motors.

(10) Snorkel mast and components.

(11) Torpedo tubes.

(12) Atmosphere control equipment.

(13) Bulkheads, decks, and associated equipment.

(14) SONAR arrays and associated components.

(15) Electrical components, penetrators, and associated equipment.

(16) Commodity material in support of manufacturing.

(a) Contract authority.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of not more than 15 Medium Landing Ships.

(2) Procurement in conjunction with existing contracts.— The ships authorized to be procured under paragraph (1) may be procured as additions to existing contracts covering the Medium Landing Ship program.

(b) Certification required.— A contract may not be entered into under subsection (a) unless the Secretary of the Navy certifies to the congressional defense committees, in writing, not later than 30 days before entry into the contract, each of the following, which shall be prepared by the milestone decision authority (as defined in section 4251(e) of title 10, United States Code) for the Medium Landing Ship program:

(1) The use of such a contract is consistent with the Department of the Navy’s projected force structure requirements for such ships.

(2) The use of such a contract will result in significant savings compared to the total anticipated costs of carrying out the program through annual contracts.

(3) There is a reasonable expectation that throughout the contemplated contract period the Secretary of the Navy will request funding for the contract at the level required to avoid contract cancellation.

(4) There is a stable design for the property to be acquired and the technical risks associated with such property are not excessive.

(5) The estimates of the cost of the contract and the anticipated cost avoidance through the use of the contract are realistic.

(6) During the fiscal year in which the contract is to be awarded—

(A) sufficient funds will be available to perform the contract in such fiscal year; and

(B) the future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code, for such fiscal year will include the funding required to execute the program without cancellation.

(c) Authority for advance procurement.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts for advance procurement associated with the ships for which authorization to enter into a contract is provided under subsection (a), and for systems and subsystems associated with such ships in economic order quantities when cost savings are achievable.

(d) Condition for out-year contract payments.— A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract for a fiscal year is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose for such fiscal year.

(e) Termination.— The authority of the Secretary of the Navy to enter into contracts under subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2029.

(a) Authority for multiyear procurement.— Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with the fiscal year 2026 program year, for the procurement of Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing Barges and associated material.

(b) Authority for advance procurement.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2026, for advance procurement associated with the barges for which authorization to enter into a multiyear procurement contract is provided under subsection (a), which may include procurement of economic order quantities of material and equipment for such barges when cost savings are achievable.

(c) Availability of funds and termination liability.— Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—

(1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and

(2) the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at the time of termination.

(a) Medium Landing Ships.—

(1) In general.— After the award of the lead ship of the Medium Landing Ship program, the Secretary of the Navy shall seek to enter into an agreement with an appropriate vessel construction manager pursuant to which the vessel construction manager shall seek to enter into one or more contracts for the construction of not more than 8 additional landing ships under the program.

(2) Requirements for additional ships.— The additional landing ships authorized to be constructed under paragraph (1) shall be nondevelopmental items constructed using a design that is—

(A) the same as the design of the lead ship; or

(B) derived from such design.

(3) Lead ship defined.— In this subsection, the term lead ship means the first landing ship procured as a commercial or nondevelopmental item as authorized under section 128(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1807).

(b) Light replenishment oilers.— The Secretary of the Navy shall seek to enter into an agreement with an appropriate vessel construction manager pursuant to which the vessel construction manager shall seek to enter into one or more contracts for the construction of light replenishment oilers (TAO–L).

(c) Auxiliary and support vessels.— The Secretary of the Navy may enter into agreements with an appropriate vessel construction manager pursuant to which the vessel construction manager shall seek to enter into one or more contracts for the construction of any auxiliary vessel or support vessel of the Department of the Navy.

(d) Design standards and construction practices.— The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that vessels procured through subsections (b) and (c) by the Secretary are, to the maximum extent practicable, constructed using commercial design standards and commercial construction practices that are consistent with the best interests of the Federal Government.

The Secretary of the Navy may not enter into a contract or other agreement that includes a scope of work, including priced or unpriced options, for the construction, advance procurement, or long-lead material for Modular Attack Surface Craft Block 0 until the Secretary certifies to the congressional defense committees that such vessels will be purpose-built unmanned vessels engineered to operate without human support systems or operational requirements intended for crewed vessels.

(a) Limitation.— None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Navy may be obligated or expended for the scope of work, including priced or unpriced options, for the construction, advance procurement, or long-lead material of any ships in the TAGOS surveillance towed-array sensor system ship program unless the Secretary of the Navy submits the report described in subsection (b) to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(b) Report.— The Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the following:

(1) Progress made on basic and functional design completion for TAGOS surveillance towed-array sensor system ships and how compliance with section 8669c of title 10, United States Code, will be maintained.

(2) The accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of the Navy’s provisioning of contract baseline design, general arrangement drawings, and other government-furnished information to the prime contractor for such ships.

(3) The ability of the functional design of such ships to meet program requirements, including speed requirements.

(4) The adherence of the Navy to performance-based requirements and the ability of the prime contractor for such ships to make design choices to meet those requirements, commensurate with its responsibility for cost and schedule in the contract structure.

(5) Alternative solutions to meeting the general set of Navy requirements for anti-submarine warfare covered by such ships, including unmanned solutions.

(a) In general.— In the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of the Defense budget for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code), the Secretary of the Navy shall include information on the costs of spare parts and repair parts for amphibious warfare ships in the materials for other procurement, Navy.

(b) Amphibious warfare ship defined.— In this section, the term amphibious warfare ship has the meaning given that term in section 8062(h) of title 10, United States Code.

(a) Minimum inventory requirement.— Section 9062(j) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “a total aircraft inventory of air refueling tanker aircraft of not less than 466 aircraft.” and inserting

“(A) of not less than 466 aircraft during the period ending on September 30, 2026;

(B) of not less than 478 aircraft during the period beginning on October 1, 2026, and ending on September 30, 2027;

(C) of not less than 490 aircraft during the period beginning on October 1, 2027, and ending on September 30, 2028; and

(D) of not less than 502 aircraft beginning on October 1, 2028.”; and

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking “below 466” and inserting “below the applicable level specified in paragraph (1)”.

(b) Retention within aircraft inventory.— Such section is further amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “paragraph (2)” and inserting “paragraphs (2) and (3)”;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph:

“(3) In the case of a KC–135 aircraft that is replaced in the aircraft inventory by a KC–46 aircraft, the Secretary of the Air Force may reassign the KC–135 aircraft to any Air Refueling Wing that has the capacity to expand its aircraft inventory to include such reassigned aircraft. In determining whether an Air Refueling Wing has the capacity to so expand its inventory, the Secretary shall consider, among other things, the capacity of the Air Refueling Wing to man the additional aircraft and support pilot training requirements for the additional aircraft.”.

(c) Prohibition on reduction of KC–135 aircraft in primary mission aircraft inventory of the reserve components.—

(1) In general.— None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to reduce the number of KC–135 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory within the reserve components of the Air Force.

(2) Primary mission aircraft inventory defined.— In this subsection, the term primary mission aircraft inventory has the meaning given that term in section 9062(i)(2)(B) of title 10, United States Code.

(a) In general.— Subsection (l) of section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

“(l)

(1) During the covered period, the Secretary of the Air Force may not retire more than a total of 51 F–15E aircraft as follows:

(A) From the beginning of the covered period through the end of fiscal year 2026, the Secretary may not retire any F–15E aircraft.

(B) In fiscal year 2027, the Secretary may not retire more than 21 F–15E aircraft.

(C) In fiscal year 2028, the Secretary may not retire more than 30 F–15E aircraft.

(2) During the covered period the Secretary of the Air Force may not—

(A) reduce funding for unit personnel or weapon system sustainment activities for retained F–15E aircraft in a manner that presumes future congressional authority to divest such aircraft; or

(B) keep an F–15E aircraft (other than an aircraft identified for retirement under paragraph (1)) in a status considered excess to the requirements of the possessing command and awaiting disposition instructions (commonly referred to as “XJ” status).

(3) In this subsection, the term “covered period” means the period beginning on the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 and ending on September 30, 2030.”.

(b) Repeal.— Section 150 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1812) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking “Prohibition on retirement of F–15E aircraft and”;

(2) by striking subsection (a); and

(3) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (a) and (b), respectively.

Section 9062(m)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “September 30, 2029” and inserting “September 30, 2030”.

Section 9062a(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking “2029” and inserting “2030”; and

(2) by striking “consultation” and inserting “coordination”.

(a) Extension of minimum inventory requirement.— Section 146(a)(3)(B) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1810), is further amended by striking “2025” and inserting “2026”.

(b) Extension of prohibition on reduction of C–130 aircraft assigned to National Guard.— Section 146(b)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1810), is further amended by striking “2025” and inserting “2026”.

(c) Report requirement.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing the following:

(1) The total number and variant types of C–130 aircraft in the inventory of the Air Force.

(2) Any planned retirements, divestments, or reductions to the fleet of such aircraft.

(3) Modernization and recapitalization efforts, including block upgrades and procurement schedules.

(4) Planned basing actions for fielding C–130J aircraft to recapitalize C–130H aircraft.

Subsection (d)(1) of section 133 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1574), as most recently amended by section 146 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1810), is further amended by striking “September 30, 2026” and inserting “September 30, 2030”.

(a) In general.— Section 134(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2038) is amended by striking “96 A–10 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory until a period of 90 days has elapsed following the date on which the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees the report under subsection (e)(2)” and inserting “93 A–10 aircraft designated as primary mission aircraft inventory until October 1, 2026”.

(b) Prohibition on retirement.—

(1) In general.— During the period beginning on October 1, 2025 and ending on September 30, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force may not—

(A) reduce funding for unit personnel or weapon system sustainment activities for A–10 aircraft in a manner that presumes future congressional authority to divest such aircraft;

(B) keep an A–10 aircraft in a status considered excess to the requirements of the possessing command and awaiting disposition instructions (commonly referred to as “XJ” status); or

(C) decrease the total aircraft inventory of A–10 aircraft below 103 aircraft.

(2) Exception.— The prohibition under paragraph (1) shall not apply to individual A–10 aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force determines, on a case-by-case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft.

(c) Briefing required.— Not later than March 31, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the status of A–10 aircraft inventory and the proposed plan for divesting all A–10 aircraft prior to fiscal year 2029. The briefing shall cover, at a minimum, the following:

(1) The number of A–10 Total Aircraft Inventory aircraft disaggregated by Combat Coded Aircraft, Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory, Backup Aircraft Assigned, Attrition Reserve, tail number, and location.

(2) The planned divestment date of each such aircraft.

(3) The detailed plan for how and when the Secretary proposes to proceed with divestment of aircraft for each A–10 unit prior to fiscal year 2029.

(4) The aircraft transition plan for replacing A–10 aircraft with new or existing replacement aircraft in each unit that is divesting of the A–10 aircraft, which shall include an explanation of—

(A) how the Secretary plans to minimize adverse personnel impacts within such units, including adverse impacts with respect to retention, currency, proficiency, qualifications, certifications, and training; and

(B) how the Secretary plans to minimize or eliminate any scheduling gap that may occur with respect to a unit divesting from the A–10 aircraft and transitioning to a new or existing replacement aircraft.

(5) The information and content format that was provided in the briefing to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives by the Headquarters Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs (HAF/A8), on February 13, 2023, titled “A–10 Divestment Placemats”.

(6) Any other information the Secretary determines relevant.

(a) In general.— The Secretary of the Air Force shall preserve each retired KC–10 aircraft in the same storage condition in which such aircraft was preserved as of September 30, 2025.

(b) Authority to dispose of preserved aircraft.— A KC–10 aircraft preserved under subsection (a) may be disposed of in accordance with chapter 5 of title 40, United States Code.

(a) Prohibition.— None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force may be obligated or expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or in backup aircraft inventory any E–3 aircraft if such actions would reduce the total aircraft inventory for such aircraft below 16.

(b) Exception for plan.— If the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for maintaining readiness and ensuring there is no lapse in mission capabilities, the prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory for E–3 aircraft to below 16, beginning 30 days after the date on which the plan is so submitted.

(c) Exception for E–7 aircraft procurement.— If the Secretary of the Air Force procures enough E–7 Wedgetail aircraft to accomplish the required mission load, the prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory for E–3 aircraft to below 16 after the date on which such E–7 Wedgetail aircraft are delivered.

(a) Submittal of matrices.— Concurrent with the President’s annual budget request submitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, for fiscal year 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States—

(1) the matrices described in subsection (b) relating to the B–21 bomber aircraft program; and

(2) the estimate, as of the date of such submission, for the program's average procurement unit cost, acquisition unit cost, and life-cycle costs.

(b) Matrices described.— The matrices described in this subsection are the following:

(1) Program goals and execution.— A matrix that identifies, in six-month increments, plans for and progress in achieving key milestones and events, and specific performance metric goals and actuals for the development, production, and sustainment of the B–21 bomber aircraft program, which shall be subdivided, at a minimum, according to the following:

(A) Technology readiness levels of major components, and associated risks and key demonstration events through maturity (technology readiness level 7) for baseline and modernization efforts.

(B) Engine design maturity, and plans and progress of engine test events.

(C) Software development progress and related metrics, including—

(i) percent of capabilities complete and system features complete; and

(ii) software quality metrics.

(D) Manufacturing progress and related metrics for the prime contractor and key suppliers, including—

(i) manufacturing readiness levels through level 8;

(ii) touch labor hours; and

(iii) scrap, rework, and repair.

(E) System verification and key ground and flight test events for developmental and operational testing, including—

(i) percent complete;

(ii) time on condition;

(iii) sorties; and

(iv) test points.

(F) Aircraft reliability, availability, and maintainability metrics, including—

(i) mean time to repair;

(ii) operational availability;

(iii) mission capable; and

(iv) cost per flying hour.

(G) Operations and sustainment plans and progress, including—

(i) main operating base setup;

(ii) training system deliveries;

(iii) depot maintenance; and

(iv) technology data packages.

(2) Cost.— A matrix expressing, in six-month increments, the total cost for the Air Force service cost position for the engineering and manufacturing development phase and production lots of the B–21 bomber aircraft, and a matrix expressing the total cost for the prime contractor’s estimate for such phase and production lots, each of which shall be phased over the entire engineering and manufacturing development period and subdivided according to the costs of the following:

(A) Air vehicle.

(B) Propulsion.

(C) Mission systems.

(D) Vehicle subsystems.

(E) Air vehicle software.

(F) Systems engineering.

(G) Program management.

(H) System test and evaluation.

(I) Support and training systems.

(J) Contract fee.

(K) Engineering changes.

(L) Direct mission support, including congressional general reductions.

(M) Government testing.

(c) Semiannual update of matrices.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of the Air Force submits the matrices required by subsection (a), concurrent with the submittal of each annual budget request to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, thereafter, and not later than 180 days after each such submittal, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General updates to the matrices described in subsection (b).

(2) Elements.— Each update submitted under paragraph (1) shall detail progress made toward the goals identified in the matrix described in subsection (b)(1) and provide updated cost estimates.

(d) Assessment by Comptroller General of the United States.— Not less frequently than annually, the Comptroller General shall—

(1) review the sufficiency of each matrix received under this section; and

(2) submit to the congressional defense committees an assessment of such matrix, including by identifying cost, schedule, or performance trends.

(e) Repeal.— Section 238 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 Stat. 2067) is repealed.

(a) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive roadmap detailing the planned force structure, basing, modernization, and transition strategy for the bomber aircraft fleet of the Air Force through fiscal year 2040.

(b) Elements.— The roadmap required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A detailed schedule and rationale for the planned divestment of B–1 bomber aircraft, including location-specific retirements, infrastructure disposition, and mitigation of any resulting capability gaps.

(2) A transition plan for the operational fielding of B–21 bomber aircraft, including basing decisions, training and sustainment plans, operational concepts, and anticipated initial operational capability and full operational capability timelines.

(3) A strategy for integrating units of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve into B–21 bomber aircraft operations, including planned force structure, association, training, and mobilization models.

(4) An update on—

(A) modernization efforts for B–52 bomber aircraft, including engine replacement, radar upgrades, and digital integration efforts; and

(B) the expected service life and mission profile of B–52 bomber aircraft through the 2050s.

(5) A detailed timeline with key milestones for each of the elements described in paragraphs (1) through (4), including programmatic decision points, resourcing requirements, risk assessments, and coordination with other components of the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Air Combat Command.

(c) Objective.— The roadmap required by subsection (a) shall support a deliberate and balanced transition to a modernized, dual-capable bomber aircraft force that ensures long-range strike capacity, survivability, and deterrence in both nuclear and conventional mission sets, with a minimum of 100 B–21 bomber aircraft.

(d) Form.— The roadmap required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

(a) In general.— Not later than October 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive roadmap detailing the strategic plan for the development, acquisition, modernization, and integration of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the Air Force.

(b) Elements.— The roadmap required by subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A strategic assessment of current (as of the date on which the roadmap is submitted) and projected intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance requirements for the Air Force across all domains, including air, space, and cyberspace.

(2) An inventory of current (as of the date on which the roadmap is submitted) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, sensors, and associated data-processing systems, including the mission capabilities, operational status, and expected service life for each.

(3) A plan for the modernization or divestment of legacy airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, with individualized justification of the modernization or divestment plan for each such legacy system.

(4) A detailed outline of planned investments and capabilities in emerging intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technologies, including—

(A) artificial intelligence;

(B) machine learning;

(C) space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and

(D) autonomous or remotely piloted platforms.

(5) An assessment of the integration of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data into command and control networks, including interoperability with joint, interagency, and allied partners.

(6) A risk assessment identifying potential capability gaps, threats, and mitigation strategies.

(7) A description of the roles and responsibilities of the components of the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance effort of the Air Force in implementing the roadmap.

(8) A proposed timeline and milestones for the implementation of the roadmap over the next ten fiscal years.

(a) In general.— Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the F–47 advanced fighter aircraft program.

(b) Elements.— The report required under subsection (a) shall include following:

(1) A description of the F–47 aircraft program, including system requirements, employment concepts, and projected costs, schedule, and funding requirements over the period covered by the program objective memorandum process for fiscal years 2028 through 2034.

(2) The acquisition strategy for the F–47 program of record, including consideration of implementing a middle tier acquisition pathway or major capability acquisition pathway (as such terms are defined in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.85, titled “Major Capability Acquisition” and issued on August 6, 2020 (or a successor instruction)).

(3) A proposed fielding strategy for the F–47 aircraft, including—

(A) estimated force structure requirements;

(B) strategic basing considerations;

(C) an estimate of military construction requirements;

(D) an estimate of personnel training requirements; and

(E) a strategy for integrating units of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve into F–47 fighter aircraft operations, including planned force structure, association, training, and mobilization models.

(c) Form.— The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for operation and maintenance, Air Force, and available to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for travel expenses, not more than 80 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary, in consultation with the Commander of the United States Strategic Command, submits to the congressional defense committees a report on the acquisition strategy of the Air Force to maintain the Airborne Command Post capability, including—

(1) options to expand production of the C–130J–30 Super Hercules aircraft to provide additional airframes to preserve the Airborne Command Post capability; and

(2) an outline of the future relationship of the Airborne Command Post capability with the Secondary Launch Platform–Airborne effort.

(a) Analysis of alternatives.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall conduct an analysis of alternatives to identify potential solutions for the recapitalization of the executive airlift aircraft fleets of the Armed Forces. In conducting such analysis, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to identify aircraft solutions that have capabilities comparable to the capabilities of commercial passenger aircraft in terms of range.

(2) Timeline.— The Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) initiate the analysis of alternatives required under paragraph (1) not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(B) complete such analysis not later than April 1, 2026.

(3) Report.— Not later than 60 days after completing the analysis of alternatives required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the results of the analysis.

(b) Responsibilities.—

(1) In general.— Section 120(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) by striking paragraph (2);

(B) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraphs:

“(2) The Secretary of Defense shall establish standards for prioritizing access to executive aircraft controlled by the Secretaries of the military departments among authorized users of such aircraft within the Federal Government.

(3) The Secretary of Defense shall assign a career appointee (as that term is defined in section 3132(a) of title 5) in the Senior Executive Service of the Department of Defense to coordinate the efficient tasking of executive aircraft controlled by the Secretaries of the military departments and compliance with rules, regulations, policies, and guidance relating to such aircraft, including the standards established under paragraph (2). The career appointee shall, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, have knowledge and experience relating to executive aircraft, including familiarity with the executive aircraft fleets controlled by the Secretaries of the military departments and procedures for the prioritization of executive aircraft users.”.

(2) Timelines.— The Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) establish the standards required by paragraph (2) of such section 120(b) (as amended by this section) not later than December 1, 2025; and

(B) assign the career appointee required by paragraph (3) of such section 120(b) (as amended by this section) not later than January 1, 2026.

Section 164 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 10 U.S.C. 4651 note prec.) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “shall not operate” and inserting “may not operate,”;

(B) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

“(1) covered LiDAR technology; or”; and

(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting “covered” before “LiDAR technology”;

(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);

(3) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection:

“(e) Mitigation of risk of use of covered LiDAR technology.—

(1) Strategy required.— The Secretary of Defense shall develop a strategy to mitigate the risk to the Department of Defense of the use of covered LiDAR technology by defense contractors and subcontractors (at any tier).

(2) Elements.— In developing the strategy required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(A) publish a list of covered LiDAR companies in the Federal Register;

(B) conduct an assessment of the potential risks to the Department associated with the use of covered LiDAR technology by defense contractors, including an assessment of the severity and likelihood of occurrence of each such risk and a prioritization of such risks; and

(C) solicit input from defense contractors and subcontractors (at any tier) to identify effective approaches to reducing or eliminating use of covered LiDAR technology by such contractors and subcontractors.

(3) Implementation.— Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary shall implement the strategy required by paragraph (1). Such strategy shall actively monitor risk mitigation measures related to the use of covered LiDAR technology by defense contractors based on the assessment conducted and the input received under paragraph (2).”; and

(4) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

“(3) The term “covered LiDAR technology” means LiDAR technology and any related services and equipment—

(A) manufactured by a covered LiDAR company;

(B) uses operating software developed in a covered foreign country or by an entity domiciled in a covered foreign country; or

(C) uses network connectivity or data storage located in a covered foreign country or administered by an entity domiciled in a covered foreign country.”.

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended—

(1) to terminate the mid-tier acquisition rapid prototype contract for the E–7A aircraft; or

(2) to terminate the operations of, or to prepare to terminate the operations of, a production line for the E–7A aircraft.

(a) Limitation.— The Secretary of Defense may not accept or take delivery of covered KC–46 aircraft in excess of the maximum quantity specified in subsection (c) until the Secretary—

(1) certifies to the congressional defense committees that the Secretary has developed and is implementing a plan of corrective actions and milestones to resolve all Category 1 deficiencies identified with respect to KC–46 aircraft; and

(2) submits such plan to such committees, which shall include—

(A) an estimate of the total amount of funds required to complete implementation of the plan;

(B) realistic event-driven schedules to achieve the objectives of the plan; and

(C) a schedule risk assessment to a minimum of 80 percent confidence level.

(b) Form.— The plan described in subsection (a)(2) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

(c) Maximum Quantity.— The maximum quantity of covered KC–46 aircraft specified in this subsection is 188 aircraft.

(d) Covered KC–46 Aircraft Defined.— In this section, the term covered KC–46 aircraft means new production KC–46 aircraft the procurement of which is fully funded by the United States.

(a) In general.— The Secretary of Defense shall develop a plan to establish an open mission systems computing environment that is controlled by the Federal Government on the F–35 aircraft of the Department of Defense.

(b) Elements.— The plan required under subsection (a) shall do the following:

(1) Enable the portability of software applications between the F–35 aircraft, the F–22 aircraft, and the Next Generation Air Dominance initiative of the Air Force.

(2) Enable the integration of new open mission system software, or changes to existing open mission system software, with minimal integration work required by the prime contractor of the air vehicle.

(3) Eliminate or minimize aircraft airworthiness impacts due to software changes within the open mission systems computing environment.

(4) Enable the rapid upgrade of onboard processors.

(5) Leverage a Federal Government reference architecture.

(6) Ensure control by the Federal Government over the airworthiness and security processes, as well as ownership by the Federal Government of the open mission system technical documentation and data rights.

(7) Be capable of connection to all relevant aircraft apertures sufficient to meet current and future combat requirements, including cockpit connectivity via ethernet.

(8) Leverage modern commercial software languages and techniques necessary to support reliable, high-throughput, and low-latency use-cases.

(9) Be applicable across all blocks and variants of the F–35 aircraft.

(c) Report.—

(1) In general.— Not later than July 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the plan required under subsection (a).

(2) Form.— The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

(a) Annual reviews and reports.— Not later than March 1, 2026, and not later than March 1 of each year thereafter through March 1, 2030, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—

(1) complete a review of the F–35 aircraft program; and

(2) submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the review.

(b) Elements.— Each review and report under subsection (a) shall include an assessment of—

(1) the cost, scope, and schedule of the F–35 aircraft program and its subprograms;

(2) the status of the efforts of the Department of Defense to modernize the F–35 aircraft; and

(3) such other matters relating to the F–35 aircraft program as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 for the use of the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation, as specified in the funding table in section 4201.

(a) Authority.— Subsection (a) of section 4025 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after “the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment,” the following: “the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit,”.

(b) Maximum amount of award prizes.— Subsection (c) of such section is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1) by striking “$10,000,000” and inserting “$20,000,000”;

(2) in paragraph (2) by striking “$1,000,000” and inserting “$2,000,000”; and

(3) in paragraph (3) by striking “$10,000” and inserting “$20,000”.

(c) Congressional notification threshold.— Subsection (g)(1) of such section is amended by striking “$10,000,000” and inserting “$20,000,000”.

Section 4123 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting “and test organizations” after “defense laboratories”;

(2) by inserting “or test organization” after “laboratory” each place it appears;

(3) in subsection (a)(3), by inserting “or test organizations” after “laboratories”; and

(4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(d) Test organization defined.— In this section, the term “test organization” means a test organization of the Major Range and Test Facility Base specified in Department of Defense Directive 3200.11 or any successor directive.”.

(a) Making permanent and improving pilot program for the enhancement of the research, development, test, and evaluation centers of the Department of Defense.— Chapter 305 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“4145. Program for the enhancement of the research, development, test, and evaluation centers of the Department of Defense.—

(a) In general.— The Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments shall jointly carry out a program to demonstrate methods for the more effective development of technology and management of functions at eligible centers.

(b) Eligible centers.— For purposes of the program, the eligible centers are—

(1) the science and technology reinvention laboratories, as designated by section 4121(b) of this title;

(2) the test and evaluation centers which are activities specified as part of the Major Range and Test Facility Base in Department of Defense Directive 3200.11 (or any successor document);

(3) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency;

(4) the Defense Innovation Unit; and

(5) the Strategic Capabilities Office.

(c) Definition of responsible officials concerned.— For purposes of this section, the term responsible official concerned means—

(1) the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, with respect to matters concerning the Army;

(2) the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, with respect to matters concerning the Navy and the Marine Corps; or

(3) the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, with respect to matters concerning the Air Force and the Space Force;

(4) the Deputy Secretary of Defense, with respect to matters concerning the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, and the Strategic Capabilities Office, and any other matters not covered by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3).

(d) Participation in program.—

(1) In general.— Subject to paragraph (2), the head of each eligible center shall submit to the responsible official concerned a proposal on, and implement, alternative and innovative methods of effective management and operations of eligible centers, rapid project delivery, support, experimentation, prototyping, and partnership with universities and private sector entities—

(A) to generate greater value and efficiencies in research and development activities;

(B) to enable more efficient and effective operations of supporting activities, such as—

(i) facility management, construction, and repair;

(ii) business operations;

(iii) personnel management policies and practices; and

(iv) intramural and public outreach; and

(C) to enable more rapid deployment of warfighter capabilities.

(2) Implementation.— The head of an eligible center shall implement each method proposed under paragraph (1) unless such method is disapproved in writing by the responsible official concerned within 60 days of receiving the proposal from the eligible center.

(e) Waiver authority for demonstration and implementation.— The head of an eligible center may waive any regulation, restriction, requirement, guidance, policy, procedure, or departmental instruction that would affect the implementation of a method proposed under subsection (d)(1), unless such implementation would be prohibited by a provision of a Federal statute or common law.”.

(b) Conforming repeal.— Section 233 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 4141 note prec.) is repealed.

(a) Jointly funded projects.— Section 4174 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “A contract of a military department” and inserting “A covered contract”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsections:

“(d)

(1) In a case in which research, developmental, or test facilities and equipment described in this section are used to support multiple contracts or programs across different military departments, other elements of the Department of Defense, other Federal agencies outside the Department of Defense, or eligible non-Federal entities, a jointly funded project may be established.

(2) Under a jointly funded project, the Secretary of Defense (or the Secretary’s designee) shall enter into a written agreement with each entity participating in the project. Each such agreement shall, at a minimum, address the following:

(A) Cost sharing arrangements, including the proportion of total project costs to be borne by each entity.

(B) Allocation of access to the facilities and equipment, including prioritization procedures in cases of competing demands.

(C) Management and oversight responsibilities, including the designation of a lead agency.

(D) Ownership and intellectual property rights related to the facilities, equipment, and any resulting data or inventions.

(E) Dispute resolution mechanisms.

(3) A non-Federal entity, including a private company, academic institution, or non-profit organization, may participate in a jointly funded project under this subsection only if the Secretary of Defense determines such participation is in the national security interest and consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

(4) The Secretary of Defense shall issue regulations to implement this subsection. Such regulations shall include specific criteria for evaluating proposed jointly funded projects, standardized agreement templates, and procedures for ensuring the transparency and accountability of such projects.

(e) This section applies to contracts funded using funds appropriated or otherwise made available for—

(1) research, development, test, and evaluation, including science and technology funds designated as budget activity 1 (basic research), budget activity 2 (applied research), and budget activity 3 (advanced technology development) (as those budget activity classifications are set forth in volume 2B, chapter 5 of the Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DOD 7000.14–R)); and

(2) operation and maintenance, to the extent that such funds are used to support activities authorized under this section.

(f) In this section, the term covered contract means—

(1) a contract of a military department; or

(2) a contract for a jointly funded project as described subsection (d).”.

(b) Regulations required.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue or revise regulations (as necessary) to implement the amendments made by subsection (a).

Section 238(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1842) is amended by inserting “or fiscal year 2026” after “fiscal year 2025”.

Section 228(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 10 U.S.C. 4571 note) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking “the Nevada Test and Training Range, Restricted Area 2508, Warning Area 151/470, Warning Area 386, and the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex” and inserting “military special use airspace including all prohibited areas, restricted areas, warning areas, and military operational areas”;

(2) in paragraph (2), in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking “training, and large-scale exercises.” and inserting “regular training, and large-scale exercises. Under such processes, approval of Link 16 operations shall be presumed and denial of Link 16 operations shall be accompanied with substantiated evidence demonstrating compromise of safety due to electromagnetic interference.”; and

(3) in paragraph (5), by inserting “regular” before “training”.

(a) Extension.— Subsection (e) of section 232 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 10 U.S.C. note prec. 4091) is amended by striking “September 30, 2025” and inserting “September 30, 2030”.

(b) Technical amendment.— Subsection (f)(2) of such section is amended by striking “section 2302” and inserting “section 3014”.

(a) Authority.— The Secretary of Defense shall establish an alternative test and evaluation pathway as described in subsection (b) for covered programs to enhance agility, accelerate delivery of capabilities, and ensure data-driven decisionmaking, while maintaining independent oversight of evaluation outcomes.

(b) Elements.— The pathway required by subsection (a) shall include the following elements:

(1) For each covered program, the Secretary of the military department concerned, through its service test activities, shall—

(A) develop and implement a unified test and evaluation strategy that aligns developmental testing and operational testing to a single set of test objectives that build system understanding throughout the test program to more effectively support capability delivery within rapid prototyping and iterative updates with early and continuous operational feedback;

(B) develop and implement a test data strategy that includes—

(i) collection of raw data from system components during test events and operational activities, including submission of industry-derived data from their development and testing evolutions;

(ii) evaluation criteria to assess the mission effects and suitability of the system based on the data to be collected, including from live-fire test events, if applicable;

(iii) a process for independently validating industry-derived data, if needed;

(iv) provision of resources for automated data collection, storage, and access; and

(v) automated analytics tools to assess performance trends, reliability, and maintenance needs;

(C) incorporate, to the maximum extent practicable, best practices such as—

(i) hardware-in-the-loop testing to validate system integration;

(ii) continuous data collection from prototypes and fielded systems to refine designs and update lifecycle costs;

(iii) testing subsystem prototypes throughout system development to assess their contribution to the mission effect of the fielded system; and

(iv) integration of supporting or complementary data from digital twins or other model-based systems engineering tools;

(D) define general test and evaluation objectives and data needs while allowing detailed execution plans to evolve based on test results and emerging requirements, avoiding rigid milestone-driven schedules; and

(E) ensure all raw test data and associated analytics are owned by the Federal Government, stored in accessible repositories, and available to authorized Department entities, including the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, throughout the program lifecycle.

(2) Each such covered program shall be exempt from—

(A) any requirement in law, regulation, or policy, including Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02 or other policies, to develop and submit a test and evaluation master plan, as long as a unified test and evaluation strategy and test data strategy are implemented, as required by subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1);

(B) any requirement in law, regulation, or policy to conduct any milestone-specific operational test event, such as the requirement in section 4171 of title 10, United States Code, to conduct initial operational test and evaluation; and

(C) any other test and evaluation documentation or approval process that the Secretary determines is inconsistent with the agile and iterative nature of this pathway.

(c) Role of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.— For each covered program designated for oversight by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall—

(1) provide independent evaluation of test data across all phases of the program lifecycle, including—

(A) assessing the sufficiency of the program’s test and evaluation strategy and data strategy to demonstrate military effectiveness;

(B) evaluating whether the program collects and analyzes sufficient raw data, learns from test results at a pace relevant to operational needs, and converges on military effectiveness based on data trends;

(C) identifying deficiencies in test and evaluation strategies that risk system performance, suitability, or survivability; and

(D) providing continuous oversight through ongoing analysis of test data;

(2) have unrestricted access to all raw test data, data repositories, and analytics maintained by the military departments for the covered program;

(3) not require of the covered program—

(A) any specific test plan, execution method, or documentation format, or any pre-approval of test and evaluation activities, as a condition of testing, data collection, or evaluation; or

(B) any Director of Operational Test and Evaluation-approved test and evaluation master plan or other pre-execution documentation under existing policies; and

(4) include in the annual report required under section 139(h) of title 10, United States Code, a summary of the adequacy of data strategies, rates of learning, and risks that aligns with the evaluation processes established in this section.

(d) Guidance required.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall issue guidance to implement the alternative test and evaluation pathway under this section, including standards for data strategies and modern testing practices and procedures to support evaluation by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation under subsection (c).

(e) Report.— Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of this section, including an assessment of the effectiveness of the pathway in accelerating capability delivery and improving system performance and any recommendations for expanding or modifying the pathway.

(f) Covered program defined.— In this section, the term covered program means the following:

(1) A defense acquisition program that the Secretary of Defense designates, on or after the date on which guidance is issued under subsection (d), for use of the alternative test and evaluation pathway under this section.

(2) A defense acquisition program relating to software and covered hardware initiated on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(a) Requirement.— The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall include in the annual report required by section 139(h) of title 10, United States Code, an assessment of the operational and live fire test and evaluation activities for—

(1) command and control and data integration architecture for layered integrated missile defense of the homeland;

(2) the Joint Fires Network; and

(3) the Cryptographic Modernization Program.

(b) Alternative pathway.— For any effort under subsection (a) assigned to the software acquisition pathway pursuant to section 3603 of title 10, United States Code, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall assess the effort in accordance with the alternative test and evaluation pathway established by section 218 of this Act.

(a) Establishment of digital test and evaluation environment.—

(1) Program.— The Director of the Test Resource Management Center, in coordination with the officials specified in paragraph (4), shall establish and maintain a digital test and evaluation environment for developmental and operational testing of warfighting capabilities.

(2) Requirements.— The digital test and evaluation environment required under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) incorporate commercially-derived data management, analysis, and operations software tools to enable rapid test and evaluation;

(B) enable real-time and iterative data collection, management, analysis, and feedback loops across the life cycle of tested systems;

(C) provide secure environments for testing systems with operational security sensitivities; and

(D) use a modular open system approach (as defined in section 4401 of title 10, United States Code) to ensure the environment can be accessed by multiple vendors and is interoperable with multiple data sources, data formats, and digital tools.

(3) Use of software acquisition pathway.— In procuring software and covered hardware (as defined in section 3603 of title 10, United States Code) for the digital test and evaluation environment required under paragraph (1), the Director of the Test Resource Management center shall use a software acquisition pathway described in section 3603 of title 10, United States Code.

(4) Officials specified.— The officials specified in this paragraph are—

(A) the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit;

(B) the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation; and

(C) each chief of a covered Armed Force.

(b) Pilot program to accelerate test.—

(1) In general.— The Director of the Defense Innovation Unit and the Director of the Test Resource Management Center, in coordination with the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall jointly carry out a pilot program to determine how commercial software can be used to accelerate and improve testing efforts—

(A) to accelerate continuous integration and continuous testing of warfighting capabilities by applying industry best practices and tooling for scalability, advanced analysis, and data sharing; and

(B) to enable continuous and iterative testing throughout capability design, development, engineering, and fielding.

(2) Reports required.— The Director of the Defense Innovation Unit and the Director of the Test Resource Management Center, in coordination with the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall—

(A) not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the congressional defense committees an interim report that includes an implementation plan for the pilot program under paragraph (1); and

(B) following submittal of the report under subparagraph (A), but not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the committees a report on the progress of the pilot program, which shall include a description of—

(i) the metrics used to measure the performance of commercial software under the program;

(ii) the initial findings of the program; and

(iii) based on such findings, any identified roadblocks or limitations to using commercial software and digital tools for accelerated testing.

(3) Termination.— The authority to carry out the pilot program under this subsection shall terminate five years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Covered armed force defined.— In this section, the term “covered Armed Force” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

(a) Review required.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary of a military department, in coordination with the officials specified in subsection (c), shall complete a comprehensive review of the standards, guidance, and policies relating to digital engineering within the covered Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of that Secretary.

(2) Elements.— Each review under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the covered Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned, the following:

(A) A review of the reference architectures, standards, and best practices for the use of digital engineering tools (including digital twins and digital threads) as in effect at the time of the review, including standards for the use of such tools at all stages of program design, development, and testing.

(B) Identification of the current standards guiding the use of such digital engineering tools, at all stages of program design, development, and testing.

(C) Assessment of—

(i) the extent to which the use of such standards and related governance structures is consistent across the covered Armed Forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned; and

(ii) the level of interoperability of such standards across such Armed Forces.

(D) Identification of best practices for digital engineering within each such Armed Force.

(E) Recommendations for improvements to the use of digital engineering tools in each such Armed Force.

(b) Development of standard reference architecture.—

(1) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary of a military department completes the review required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop and implement a standard reference architecture to guide the use of, and best practices for, digital engineering for program design, development, and testing within each covered Armed Force under the jurisdiction of that Secretary. Each reference architecture shall include—

(A) a framework and clear requirements for developing and deploying digital engineering tools across program lifecycles;

(B) defined standards for data management and modeling; and

(C) consideration for either consensus-based standards or nonconsensus-based standards, depending on what is determined to be in the best interests of the government based on the ability to adopt such standards quickly and prevent technology vendor lock.

(2) Periodic review.— Not less frequently than once every three years following implementation of the standard reference architecture required under paragraph (1), but ending on September 30, 2034, each Secretary of a military department shall—

(A) conduct periodic reviews of the reference architecture to ensure it effectively addresses advancements in technology and evolving operational needs; and

(B) if necessary, modify the reference architecture to address such advancements and needs.

(3) Approval and certification required.— Before a reference architecture may be implemented under this subsection, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall—

(A) review and approve the reference architecture; and

(B) submit certification of such approval to the Secretary of the military department concerned.

(4) Recommendations for further standardization.— Based on the reviews conducted under paragraph (3), the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall—

(A) identify and develop recommendations regarding areas in which further standardization of reference architectures across the covered Armed Forces may be feasible; and

(B) submit such recommendations to the Secretaries of the military departments.

(c) Officials specified.— The officials specified in this subsection are the following:

(1) The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

(2) The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

(3) The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.

(d) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term covered Armed Forces means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.

(2) The term reference architecture means an authoritative source of information about a specific subject area that guides and constrains the instantiations of multiple architectures and solutions, as described in the guidance of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense titled “Reference Architecture Description”, dated June 2010, or any successor to such guidance.

(a) Establishment.— Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall establish a program that—

(1) creates partnerships between operational units of the Army and research universities to provide a platform for university-based researchers and small businesses to collaborate directly with soldiers on innovative applied research and development; and

(2) integrates soldiers into the problem identification process and early-stage development efforts to ensure technical solutions are meeting soldier needs and enhancing lethality.

(b) Activities.— In carrying out the program, the Secretary shall—

(1) establish activities at select divisions of the Army to accelerate the incorporation of soldier insights into capability development;

(2) establish policies that streamline collaboration between soldiers, Army Transformation and Training Command, research universities, and small businesses;

(3) establish a governance board that includes representatives from the research, development, test, and evaluation, acquisition, requirements, and research university communities; and

(4) promote transition of successful program projects to Army programs.

(c) Inclusion in future-years defense program.— The program shall be treated as a research, development, test, and evaluation activity in the Army’s input to the future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code.

(a) In general.— For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that all funding opportunities executed in Program Element 0601228D8Z, or successor program element, shall include separate funding solicitations each focused toward—

(1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities; and

(2) Minority-Serving Institutions that are not described in paragraph (1).

(b) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term Historically Black College or University has the meaning given the term part B institution in section 322 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).

(2) The term Minority-Serving Institution means an eligible institution described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)).

(3) The term Tribal College or University has the meaning given the term in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).

(a) In general.— The Secretary of Defense may establish one or more National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institutes (referred to in this section as “Institutes”) at eligible host institutions.

(b) Institute described.— A National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute referred to in subsection (a) is an artificial intelligence research institute that—

(1) is focused on a cross-cutting challenge or foundational science for artificial intelligence systems in the national security and defense sector;

(2) establishes partnerships among public and private organizations, including, as appropriate, Federal agencies, institutions of higher education, including community colleges, nonprofit research organizations, Federal laboratories, State, local, and Tribal governments, and industry, including the Defense Industrial Base and startup companies;

(3) has the potential to create an innovation ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, to translate Institute research into applications and products used to enhance national security and defense capabilities;

(4) supports interdisciplinary research and development across multiple institutions of higher education and organizations; and

(5) supports workforce development in artificial intelligence related disciplines in the United States.

(c) Financial assistance authorized.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Defense may award financial assistance to an eligible host institution, or consortia thereof, to establish and support one or more Institutes.

(2) Use of funds.— Financial assistance awarded under paragraph (1) may be used by an Institute for—

(A) managing and making available to researchers accessible, curated, standardized, secure, and privacy protected data sets from the public and private sectors for the purposes of training and testing artificial intelligence systems and for research using artificial intelligence systems with regard to national security and defense;

(B) developing and managing testbeds for artificial intelligence systems, including sector-specific test beds, designed to enable users to evaluate artificial intelligence systems prior to deployment;

(C) conducting research and education activities involving artificial intelligence systems to solve challenges with national security implications;

(D) providing or brokering access to computing resources, networking, and data facilities for artificial intelligence research and development relevant to the Institute’s research goals;

(E) providing technical assistance to users, including software engineering support, for artificial intelligence research and development relevant to the Institute’s research goals;

(F) engaging in outreach and engagement to broaden participation in artificial intelligence research and the artificial intelligence workforce; and

(G) such other activities as may determined by the Secretary of Defense.

(3) Duration.— Financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall be awarded for a five-year period, and may be renewed for not more than one additional five-year period.

(4) Application for financial assistance.— An eligible host institution or consortia thereof seeking financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(5) Competitive, merit review.— In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall use a competitive, merit-based review process.

(6) Collaboration.— In awarding financial assistance under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may collaborate with other departments and agencies of the Federal Government with missions that relate to or have the potential to be affected by the national security implications of artificial intelligence systems.

(7) Limitation.— No financial assistance authorized in this section shall be awarded to an entity outside of the United States. All recipients of financial assistance under this section, including subgrantees, shall be based in the United States and shall meet such other eligibility criteria as may be established by the Secretary of Defense.

(d) Definition.— In this section, the term eligible host institution means—

(1) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) in the United States that conducts research sponsored by the Department of Defense; or

(2) a senior military college (as defined in section 2111a(f) of title 10, United States Code).

(a) Program required.— The Secretary of the Army shall carry out a program to support the maturation and expansion of robotic automation capabilities for munitions manufacturing at government-owned, contractor-operated production facilities.

(b) Objectives.— The objectives of the program under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) The design and integration of inherently safe, scalable robotic load, assemble, and pack (LAP) systems for munitions production.

(2) The demonstration of increased throughput and production capacity, while reducing manual handling of energetic materials.

(3) The development of cyber-hardened data infrastructure for secure integration of factory-floor operations with enterprise systems.

(4) Support for workforce upskilling and training in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing technologies.

(5) The evaluation of applicability across multiple munition types and organic industrial base sites.

(c) Coordination.— In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall coordinate with the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition and other relevant components of the Department of the Army.

(d) Briefing.— Not later than March 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Army shall provide the congressional defense committees a briefing on the program carried out under subsection (a). Such briefing shall cover—

(1) the progress made under the program;

(2) lessons learned; and

(3) recommendations for the wider adoption of robotic automation technologies within the defense industrial base.

(a) Evaluation required.— To assess impact effectiveness and increase the cadence of testing and training for long-range and hypersonic systems, the Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of the Test Resource Management Center and in consultation with requirements owners of long-range and hypersonic systems of the Armed Forces, evaluate—

(1) the comparative advantages of episodic and permanent special activity airspace designated by the Federal Aviation Administration for use by the Department of Defense suitable for the test and training of long-range and hypersonic systems;

(2) requirements for continental test ranges, including—

(A) attributes, including live, virtual, and constructive capabilities;

(B) scheduling and availability;

(C) safety;

(D) end strength;

(E) facilities, infrastructure, radar, and related systems;

(F) launch locations;

(G) impact areas; and

(H) such other characteristics as the Secretary considers appropriate; and

(3) potential enhancements to existing Federal Government facilities needed to enable use of these facilities by the Department of Defense for testing and research of hypersonic systems.

(b) Briefing.— Not later than December 1, 2026, the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a briefing on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the evaluation conducted pursuant to subsection (a), including an assessment of the completion date.

(c) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term impact area means the point at which a test terminates.

(2) The term launch location means the point from which a test is initiated.

(a) Demonstration required.— The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a demonstration project under which the Secretary—

(1) interconnects ranges or training sites in the western States; and

(2) uses such interconnected ranges and sites as a joint multi-domain kinetic and non-kinetic testing and training environment for the military departments.

(b) Use of existing ranges and capabilities.— In carrying out the project under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall use ranges, testing sites, and related capabilities that are in existence as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c) Activities.— The range complex established under subsection (a) shall be capable of facilitating testing and training in the following:

(1) Electromagnetic spectrum operations.

(2) Electromagnetic warfare.

(3) Operations that blend kinetic and non-kinetic effects.

(4) Joint All Domain Command and Control (commonly known as “JADC2”).

(5) Information warfare, including—

(A) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance;

(B) offensive and defensive cyber operations;

(C) space operations;

(D) psychological operations;

(E) public affairs; and

(F) weather operations.

(d) Timeline for completion of initial demonstration.— In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall seek to complete an initial demonstration, interconnecting two or more ranges or testing sites of two or more military departments in the western States, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(e) Briefing.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on—

(1) a phased implementation plan and design for connecting ranges and testing sites in the western States as required under subsection (a), including the initial demonstration required by subsection (d);

(2) how the design architecture of the plan is in alignment with recommendations of the most recent Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy of the Department of Defense; and

(3) how the design architecture is expected to support high-periodicity training, testing, research, and development.

(f) Western State defined.— In this section, the term western State means a State located west of the Mississippi River.

(g) Termination.— This section shall terminate on September 30, 2028.

(a) Demonstration.— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the service acquisition executives, shall carry out a demonstration to equip selected weapon system platforms with onboard, near real-time, end-to-end serial bus and radio frequency monitoring capabilities to detect cyber threats and improve maintenance efficiency.

(b) Phases.— The Secretary of Defense shall implement the demonstration under subsection (a) in phases as follows:

(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—

(A) select not fewer than three weapon system platforms for initial participation in the demonstration, prioritizing the MH–60R and MQ–9 aircraft fleets and using the priorities identified under section 1559 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note); and

(B) complete the initial deployment of monitoring capabilities to such platforms.

(2) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall extend monitoring capabilities to the complete fleets of selected platforms and complete initial data collection and analysis from all participating platforms.

(c) Report required.—

(1) In general.— Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the demonstration conducted pursuant to subsection (a).

(2) Contents.— The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) The effectiveness of the monitoring capabilities with respect to—

(i) cyber threat detection;

(ii) maintenance efficiency; and

(iii) operational readiness and mission capable rates.

(B) Specific recommendations regarding—

(i) whether near real-time monitoring capabilities should be implemented across additional Department weapon system platforms;

(ii) if additional implementation is recommended, which specific weapon system platforms should receive priority for such implementation, along with the estimated costs and funding requirements;

(iii) an analysis of the advisability of developing a program for implementing such capabilities, including potential risks, benefits, and trade-offs; and

(iv) proposed metrics for measuring successful implementation and operational effectiveness.

(3) Form of report.— The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

(a) Establishment.— Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy may establish and carry out a pilot program to evaluate commercially available, next-generation Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (referred to in this section as “HUMS”) technologies intended to address obsolescence issues affecting legacy HUMS currently installed on Army and Marine Corps rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft.

(b) Objectives.— In conducting the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy shall assess whether modernized HUMS technologies—

(1) effectively mitigate obsolescence risks associated with legacy HUMS systems;

(2) enhance the operational readiness, availability, and sustainment of Army and Marine Corps rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft; and

(3) deliver advanced predictive analytics capabilities, reducing maintenance burden and lifecycle costs.

(c) Duration.— The pilot program shall be carried out for a period not exceeding one year.

(d) Report.— Not later than 90 days after completion of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Army and Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report summarizing—

(1) the pilot program results, including effectiveness in addressing obsolescence, improving predictive maintenance, and enhancing readiness and aircraft availability; and

(2) recommendations regarding broader adoption of evaluated HUMS technologies across the Army and Marine Corps rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft fleet.

(a) Prohibition.— The Secretary of Defense may not change or modify indirect cost rates (otherwise known as facilities and administration cost rates) for Department of Defense grants and contracts awarded to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations (as those terms are defined in part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations) until the Secretary makes the certification described under subsection (b).

(b) Certification.— A certification under this subsection is a certification to the congressional defense committees that the Department of Defense—

(1) working with the extramural research community, including representatives from universities, university associations, independent research institutes, and private foundations, has developed an alternative indirect cost model that has—

(A) reduced the indirect cost rate for all applicable institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations (compared to indirect rates for fiscal year 2025); and

(B) optimized payment of legitimate and essential indirect costs involved in conducting Department of Defense research to ensure transparency and efficiency for Department of Defense-funded grants and contracts; and

(2) established an implementation plan with adequate transition time to change budgeting and accounting processes for affected institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations.

(a) Limitation.— Of the funds described in subsection (b), not more than 80 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of Defense—

(1) establishes a Joint Energetics Transition Office as required under section 148 of title 10, United States Code;

(2) provides that Office with the staff and other resources necessary to effectively carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c) of such section; and

(3) submits to the congressional defense committees the reports required under subsections (b) and (c) of section 241 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 208).

(b) Funds described.— The funds described in this subsection are funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense and available for travel expenses for any of the following:

(1) The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

(2) The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

(a) Limitation.— None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to disestablish, or modify the duties assigned to, an organization responsible (as of the date of the enactment of this Act) for research, development, test, and evaluation functions of Joint conventional armaments and ammunition until a period of 180 days has elapsed following the date on which the report required under subsection (b) is submitted to the congressional defense committees.

(b) Report required.— Not later than November 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the following with respect to the proposed realignment of functions described in subsection (a):

(1) An explanation of whether Army personnel, including contractors, would be required to relocate to a new location and if so an estimate of how many personnel would relocate and to what locations.

(2) An explanation of whether the Army expects to build new facilities and infrastructure at new locations to accomplish the research, development, test, and evaluation functions of Joint conventional armaments and ammunition and, if so, identification of—

(A) what new facilities and infrastructure would have to be constructed; and

(B) where such facilities and infrastructure would be constructed.

(3) A detailed estimate of the costs of relocating personnel and equipment and constructing new facilities and infrastructure.

(4) A detailed explanation of the efficiencies, if any, that the Army expects to realize by realigning the research, development, test, and evaluation functions of Joint conventional armaments and ammunition.

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available may be obligated or expended to develop, procure, or operate the autonomy baseline manager or the common control system of the Navy for a proposed unmanned surface vessel program unless, with respect to that program—

(1) the Secretary of the Navy submits to the congressional defense committees—

(A) the original baseline schedule of key capability deliverables and the current schedule as of the date of submission;

(B) the original cost estimate and the current cost estimate as of the date of submission, including the total funding received for the program;

(C) all reports of test and experimentation events, including a comparison of performance to alternative industry capabilities;

(D) the unaltered assessment of the Defense Innovation Unit on a market assessment of industry capabilities compared to the capabilities of the autonomy baseline manager and the common control system of the Navy; and

(E) an assessment that the program is delivering new capabilities at a pace and quality that meets or exceeds industry capabilities; and

(2) the Chief of Naval Operations validates to the congressional defense committees that the program meets operational user needs of the Navy.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, and available to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for travel expenses, not more than 80 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Under Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees the report required by section 245(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1850).

Section 215 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 4841 note) is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (e) through (g), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:

“(d) Funding.— Funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation may be used to carry out the activities described in subsection (c), including the design and construction activities described in subsection (c).”.

(a) Designation of senior official.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall designate a senior official, with relevant biotechnology experience, from a position within the Department of Defense that was in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, to—

(1) be the senior official for biotechnology issues;

(2) be the head of the Biotechnology Management Office established under subsection (b); and

(3) carry out the responsibilities for the office in subsection (c).

(b) Establishment of Biotechnology Management Office.— Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, with input from the senior official designated under subsection (a), charter and establish, under the authority, direction, and control of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, a Biotechnology Management Office to foster the development, acquisition, and sustainment of broad-based biotechnology capabilities for the Department.

(c) Responsibilities.— The office established under subsection (b) shall be responsible for the following:

(1) Maintaining and executing the Defense Biotechnology Strategy required by section 246, including development and execution of a long-term research, development, acquisition, and sustainment roadmap.

(2) Updating policies and guidance within the Department relating to the acquisition, adoption, and transition of biotechnology-based products into Department use.

(3) Coordinating with activities across the Department, the Federal Government, industry, academia, and international partners relating to biotechnology.

(4) Proposing options for streamlining the regulatory or acquisition process of the Department.

(5) Conducting, as may be needed, global competition analyses, net assessment, or forecasting to support decisionmakers on biotechnology advances.

(6) Supporting the development of public-private partnerships with academia, industry, and other State and local government partners, including through the development or fostering of regionally focused innovation ecosystems.

(7) Identifying biotechnology workforce and training gaps across the workforce of the Department.

(8) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(d) Sunset.— This section shall terminate on September 30, 2030.

(e) Briefing.— Not later than 30 days after the designation of the senior official pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the proposed scope of the charter for the office to be established pursuant to subsection (b), as well as implementation plans for preliminary activities the office will pursue during the proceeding one-year period.

(a) In general.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense may establish a program to support the expansion of the domestic capacity for bioindustrial manufacturing of critical biomanufactured products at a commercial level through awards to entities for establishing, upgrading, and retooling of bioindustrial manufacturing facilities.

(b) Awards.—

(1) In general.— An entity seeking an award under the program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(2) Competitive awards.— The Secretary shall make each award under the program to an entity in a competitive manner.

(3) Award criteria.— In selecting entities to receive awards under the program, the Secretary shall consider the following criteria:

(A) The potential of the technology of such entity to improve domestic resilience and protect critical supply chains with biomanufactured products.

(B) How the technology of such entity could help meet the demand for the capabilities required by the next generation of warfighters.

(C) The ability of the bioindustrial manufacturing facility with respect to which such entity is seeking such award to be repurposed and the range of products that such bioindustrial manufacturing facility is capable of producing.

(D) Whether the bioindustrial manufacturing facility with respect to which such entity is seeking such award supports the goal of wide geographic distribution of bioindustrial manufacturing facilities across the United States.

(E) Whether the bioindustrial manufacturing facility with respect to which such entity is seeking such award is located in geographic proximity to sources of input materials for the production of critical biomanufactured products or areas with established biomanfuacturing capabilities.

(F) Such additional considerations that the Secretary deems appropriate.

(4) Use of award funds.— A recipient of an award under the program may use funds received under such award for the establishment, upgrading, or retooling of one or more bioindustrial manufacturing facilities to produce critical biomanufactured products, including the development of business or technical plans related to such establishment, upgrading, or retooling.

(c) Oversight.— If the Secretary establishes the program, the Secretary shall establish reporting requirements for recipients of awards under the program which shall include requirements for periodic reports on the following:

(1) The progress of the recipient in establishing, upgrading, or retooling the bioindustrial manufacturing facility with respect to which such recipient received such award.

(2) The estimated timeline and funding requirements for the recipient to begin biomanufacturing at the bioindustrial manufacturing facility described in paragraph (1).

(3) The products, including the critical biomanufactured products, that are or will be produced at the bioindustrial manufacturing facility described in paragraph (1).

(4) The progress of the recipient in entering into an agreement with the Department of Defense or an element thereof to provide critical biomanufactured products that are or will be produced at the bioindustrial manufacturing facility described in paragraph (1) once such bioindustrial manufacturing facility begins biomanufacturing.

(d) Reports to Congress.—

(1) Initial report.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the plan of the Secretary for allocating amounts appropriated to the Department of Defense to fund the program.

(2) Annual reports.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the activities under the program, including the following:

(A) A list of the awards made under the program as of the date on which the report is submitted, including, for each such award—

(i) the name of the entity that received the award;

(ii) the location of the bioindustrial manufacturing facility with respect to which such entity received the award;

(iii) the amount of the award, disaggregated by the initial amount of the award and any additional amounts provided under the award;

(iv) an explanation of the criteria supporting making the award to such entity, including a description of any notable technologies of such entity relevant to the award;

(v) if applicable, an explanation of the rationale for providing additional amounts under the award; and

(vi) to the extent practicable, an explanation of the effects of the award.

(B) An identification of amounts available to the Department of Defense for making awards under the program as of the date on which the report is submitted and an explanation of any plans for the use of such amounts.

(C) An explanation of the communication between the Secretary and entities seeking an award under the program regarding requirements and timelines for such awards.

(D) An explanation of how the establishment, upgrading, or retooling of the bioindustrial manufacturing facilities for which awards were made under the program aligns with priorities and needs of the Department of Defense and national security.

(e) Sunset.—

(1) In general.— Except as provided by paragraph (2), this section shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) Extension.— The Secretary may change the date on which this section terminates to a date that is later than the date on which this section would terminate under paragraph (1) if the President determines that the continuation of the program is necessary to meet national economic and national security needs and transmits that determination, and that later date, to the congressional defense committees.

(f) Definition of biomanufacturing.— In this section, the term biomanufacturing means the utilization of biological systems to develop new and advance existing products, tools, and processes at commercial scale.

(a) Authorization.—

(1) In general.— The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of relevant Defense Agencies, may establish and implement a program (referred to in this section as the “Program”) to develop and scale within the laboratories of the military departments, and transition from the laboratories of the military departments, biotechnology-based technologies and capabilities (including products such as chemicals, materials, and fuels) that are relevant to the mission of the Department of Defense and support the resilience, sustainability, and responsiveness of the defense supply chain.

(2) Activities.— Under the Program, the Secretary of Defense may carry out the following activities:

(A) Conduct an assessment of supply chain vulnerabilities in the Department of Defense.

(B) Direct the laboratories of the military departments to establish mechanisms to collaboratively—

(i) conduct applied research, including experimentation, advanced technological development, advanced component development, and rapid prototyping in bioindustrials, biomanufacturing, and related disciplines to support defense missions;

(ii) develop, prototype, test, and transition biologically derived materials and products to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and vulnerable supply chains;

(iii) upgrade, expand, or construct physical and digital infrastructure, including laboratory facilities, of the Department and its partners to support bioindustrial research, development, testing, prototyping, and production;

(iv) as needed, enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, grants, or other transactions with relevant Federal entities and non-Federal entities, such as commercial entities, research institutions, and academic organizations, to execute the activities under this subparagraph (B); and

(v) support education, training, and workforce development initiatives to build and sustain a skilled bioindustrial and biomanufacturing workforce.

(C) Collaborate across the military departments, Defense Agencies, and other Federal entities to ensure alignment with national bioindustrial and supply chain strategies.

(D) Promote the development and utilization of next-generation feedstocks and processes in ways that support local economic growth.

(E) Modernize infrastructure through investment in facilities that enable rapid prototyping and advanced materials testing.

(F) Establish performance metrics and benchmarks to measure progress toward operational integration and transition to programs of record.

(3) Other considerations.— In the event the Secretary of Defense carries out the Program, the Secretary shall—

(A) prioritize technologies and capabilities that address critical defense supply chain vulnerabilities and enhance military readiness, including technologies and capabilities necessary to—

(i) reduce logistics through field-enabled manufacturing of materials and deployable infrastructure components;

(ii) enhance performance through development of novel materials; or

(iii) improve cost efficiency of manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign supply chains;

(B) consult with representatives of industry, academia, and other Federal agencies with relevant expertise, to accelerate development and transitions; and

(C) ensure the Program supports the development and fielding of emerging technologies such as biotechnologies that provide operational and strategic advantages to the Armed Forces, including through—

(i) cross-service and public-private partnerships; and

(ii) applied research, pilot-scale production, and technology transition efforts focused on biomanufacturing and materials innovation.

(b) Reports.—

(1) Submission.— Not later than one year after commencing the Program, and biennially thereafter until the Program terminates under subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing all activities carried out under the program. Each report shall include, to the extent applicable, the following:

(A) A summary of key research, development, and prototyping efforts initiated or continued during the year or years covered by the report, including technical objectives, anticipated defense applications, and funding.

(B) A list of significant partnerships or agreements executed with industry, academic institutions, and other Federal agencies, including the purpose, national security nexus, and funding level of each such partnership or agreement.

(C) An assessment of infrastructure enhancements undertaken to support bioindustrial development and scale-up, including facility modernization and equipment acquisition.

(D) An evaluation of program performance against established milestones or metrics, including progress toward the transition of technologies to operational use or acquisition programs.

(E) An identification of major technical, logistical, or policy challenges encountered, and actions taken to mitigate such challenges.

(2) Form.— Each report under this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.

(c) Sunset.—

(1) In general.— Except as provided in paragraph (2), the authority to carry out the Program shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2) Extension.— The Program may be continued after the termination date specified in paragraph (1) if, before such date, the President—

(A) determines that continuation of the Program is necessary to meet national economic or national security needs; and

(B) submits notice of such determination to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

(a) AI accessibility to qualified biological data resources.—

(1) In general.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement requirements that ensure qualified biological data resources created by research entirely funded by the Department of Defense are collected and stored in a manner that facilitates the use of such qualified biological data resources for advanced computational methods, including artificial intelligence.

(2) Elements.— The requirements implemented under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(A) A definition of the term qualified biological data resource for the purposes of such requirements, which shall be based on one or more of the following criteria:

(i) The type of biological data generated.

(ii) The size of the dataset involved.

(iii) The amount of Federal funds awarded to the research that created such qualified biological data resource.

(iv) The level of sensitivity of the biological data generated.

(v) Any other factor determined appropriate by the Secretary of Defense.

(B) Guidance on the metrics and metadata included under such requirements to indicate data quality, including usability, interoperability, and completeness.

(C) Requirements for tiered levels of cybersecurity safeguards and access controls for the storage of biological data.

(D) Exceptions to such requirements, including for biological data that may implicate national security.

(E) Requirements for the protection of the privacy of individuals.

(b) Consultation and considerations.— In developing and implementing the requirements under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) consult with the Secretaries of the military departments, the heads of the research laboratories of each of the Armed Forces, and relevant individuals and entities in the private sector and academia who have received funding for research from the Department of Defense to ensure that such requirements are not overly burdensome; and

(2) review and incorporate, to the extent the Secretary determines appropriate, existing Federal frameworks and standards for the use of qualified biological data resources for advanced computational methods.

(a) In general.— Not later than June 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a strategy on the national security implications of emerging biotechnologies, including the future role that biotechnology will play in defense, and means to improve industry, interagency, and international relationships in this sector.

(b) Elements.— The strategy required pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following elements:

(1) How the Department of Defense will develop and expand a network of commercial facilities for the biomanufacture of products that are critical for defense needs.

(2) Review and update of military specifications in order to better incorporate or substitute current products with biotechnology-based products.

(3) Updated plans and policies for the Department to enter into advance market commitments and offtake agreements for biotechnology products that have defense applications.

(4) Review of how the Department could better incorporate military-relevant applications of emerging biotechnology into wargaming exercises, tabletop exercises, or other net assessment analyses.

(5) The benefits and costs of issuing a research grand challenge, or a series of challenges, that focus on making biotechnology predictably engineerable and how the Department would implement such research grand challenge or series of challenges.

(6) Development of a biotechnology regulation science and technology program within the Department, including development of digital infrastructure to support simplified regulation and the development of biometrology tools.

(7) Updated plans and policies for intergovernmental support that the Department could provide in encouraging member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to aggregate demand and pool purchasing power for biotechnology products.

(8) Review of plans and guidance on how the Department can work to develop, integrate, and disseminate biotechnology research initiatives across member countries of NATO, and how the Department might coordinate with international stakeholders to utilize the combined research capabilities of such member countries to drive a biotechnology development approach.

(9) Review of the feasibility and advisability of using cloud computing methods to safely store biological data to include considerations related to cybersecurity, biosecurity, and data privacy.

(10) Development of a training program for all members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees of the Department, and contractors of the Department whose duties include—

(A) creating or deploying novel biotechnologies;

(B) analyzing, preparing for, or responding to biological threats; or

(C) planning, research and development, engineering, or testing and evaluation of systems regarding biotechnology.

(a) Requirement.—

(1) Policies and guidelines.— The Secretary of Defense shall issue policies and guidelines on the ethical and responsible development and deployment of biotechnology within the Department of Defense.

(2) Consultation.— The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the policies and guidelines under paragraph (1) are developed in consultation with—

(A) the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering;

(B) the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; and

(C) individuals representing industry, academia, and civil society.

(3) Public availability.— The Secretary of Defense shall make the policies and guidelines under paragraph (1) publicly available.

(b) Matters included.— The policies and guidelines under subsection (a)(1) shall include the following:

(1) Definitions related to the ethical and responsible development and use of biotechnology.

(2) An assessment of whether, and to what extent, existing statutes, regulations, directives, manuals, or instructions limit the ability of the Department of Defense to provide guidelines for the ethical and responsible development of emerging biotechnology.

(3) Guidelines encouraging the safe use of biotechnology products under appropriate regulatory and other oversight processes.

(4) Policies relating to informed consent of members of the Armed Forces participating in the development of biotechnology products that have not received regulatory approval.

(5) Policies relating to whether, and under which conditions, uses of biotechnology that potentially result in irreversible or heritable characteristics are acceptable.

(6) Policies relating to the potential effects of biotechnologies on the environment.

(7) Policies relating to the compliance by and obligations of the Department of Defense with respect to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (commonly referred to as the “Biological Weapons Convention”).

(8) Policies relating to human performance enhancement or augmentation.

(9) Such other matters as the Secretary of Defense determines relevant.

(c) Report.—

(1) In general.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the policies and guidelines under subsection (a)(1), including the methodologies used to develop the policies and guidelines.

(2) Form.— The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

(3) Public availability.— The Secretary of Defense shall make report required under paragraph (1) publicly available, except such publicly available version of the report may not include any classified annex provided under paragraph (2).

(d) Briefing.— During the two-year period beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees an annual briefing on the implementation of the policies and guidelines under subsection (a)(1), including a description of any needed resources for such implementation.

(a) In general.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall develop and make publicly available guidance for private entities on how such entities can effectively demonstrate, validate, and verify that a biobased product of such entity provides capabilities meeting the requirements of the Department of Defense.

(b) Analysis.— In developing the guidance required by subsection (a), the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall conduct an analysis of current military specifications for suitable product categories and make such analysis publicly available for use by private entities, such as in industry or academia. Such analysis shall include:

(1) Assessment of all current military specifications and identification of those that may—

(A) have existing biobased products that meet such specifications;

(B) could be met with biobased products with some modification; or

(C) have no military specification where a new one may be required.

(2) Assessment of current validation and verification processes related to military specifications to determine if modifications to such processes are needed to consider biobased product alternatives.

(3) Review of existing acquisition policy and practices related to procurement of materials meeting military specifications to determine if any changes to such processes are recommended to accommodate biobased products.

(c) Biobased product defined.— In this section, the term biobased product means a product manufactured, produced, or developed through the application of living organisms to alter living or non-living materials.

Section 148(c)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking “; and” and inserting a semicolon;

(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(D) identifying raw material waste produced during the explosives manufacturing process and developing plans to reduce waste and optimize production.”.

Section 217(c)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note) is amended, in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking “December 1, 2025” and inserting “December 1, 2030”.

(a) Required briefings.— Not later than 90 days after the date of the of enactment of this Act, and every three months for two years thereafter, the Director of Science, Technology, and Test Resource Management of the Air Force shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the challenges facing Department of Defense research, development, test, and evaluation laboratories and facilities. Such briefings shall address the chronic institutional causes of underinvestment in such laboratories and facilities and how to improve investment in the future.

(b) Participants.— The Director of Science, Technology, and Test Resource Management may include representatives from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering or a military department (as appropriate) in the briefings required by this section.

(c) Briefing elements.— Each quarterly briefing should address—

(1) the funding trends and internal processes that are contributing to the underinvestment in such laboratories and facilities;

(2) the overall conditions of research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure of the Department of Defense, including maintenance backlogs and modernization needs;

(3) how such infrastructure investments are weighed against other military construction requirements;

(4) the highest priority projects for research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure, a justification for such priority, and any progress made towards funding any such priorities;

(5) options for improving the way such infrastructure is funded and managed, including the potential for public-private partnerships and public-public partnerships that could lessen the need for funding under the categories of military construction or operation and maintenance;

(6) an overview of the current state of the workforce for research, development, test, and evaluation, challenges in attracting and retaining top technical talent for such workforce and options for strengthening such workforce, including hiring authorities and effective recruitment campaigns; and

(7) limitations of existing policies or statutes that support the sustainment and modernization of research, development, test, and evaluation infrastructure.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2026 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for operation and maintenance, as specified in the funding table in section 4301.

Section 2711 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1)(C)—

(A) by striking “sites; and” and inserting “sites, including information on the costs associated with investigating and remediating releases of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, including—”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new clauses:

“(i) detailed information regarding the total potential cost to the Department of investigating and remediating such releases at all locations where investigation and remediation is expected to be funded by the Department; and

(ii) the cost-to-complete analysis required under subsection (d); and”and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(d) PFAS cost-to-complete analysis.— The Secretary shall carry out an annual cost-to-complete analysis with respect to the most important contributors to the costs to the Department of investigating and remediating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances releases that—

(1) includes—

(A) an assessment of any changes in regulatory standards, treatment technologies, and site prioritization that could affect the cost to complete;

(B) examples of how modifying assumptions about contamination extent, remediation timelines, or emerging disposal methods could affect the cost to complete; and

(C) an identification of any funding shortfalls or other constraints that could affect the investigation and remediation of such contamination; and

(2) incorporates a risk and uncertainty analysis with respect to the effects of potential changes in the most important contributors to the costs to the Department to complete the known per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances sites, including—

(A) variability in the extent of such contamination based on ongoing site assessments, inspections, and investigations;

(B) shifts in regulatory requirements that could alter investigation and remediation strategies; and

(C) advances in technologies for the treatment and disposal such contamination that could reduce or increase long-term costs.”.

Chapter 173 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in section 2911(e)—

(A) by striking paragraph (4);

(B) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (9) as paragraphs (4) through (8), respectively;

(C) by striking paragraph (10); and

(D) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (15) as paragraphs (9) through (13), respectively; and

(2) in section 2922g(a), by striking “shall” and inserting “may”.

Section 2912 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (c)—

(A) by striking “The amount” and inserting “(1) The amount”;

(B) by striking “additional operational energy” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “operational energy initiatives.”; and

(C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(2) The Secretary of Defense shall design operational energy initiatives under paragraph (1) to advance the objectives of the Department in the areas of energy resilience and fuel efficiency.

(3) Operational energy initiatives carried out under paragraph (1) may directly contribute to enhanced mission and combat capabilities, fund operational environment training activities, or establish programs to incentivize demonstrable reductions in energy expenditures within the department, agency, or instrumentality credited with achieving the energy cost savings under subsection (a).”;

(2) in subsection (e)(1), by striking “The Secretary of Defense may transfer amounts described in subsection (a) that remain available for obligation” and inserting “Not later than 60 days after being notified of amounts described in subsection (a) that remain available for obligation, the Secretary of Defense shall transfer such amounts”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(f) Operational energy cost savings defined.— In this section, the term operational energy cost savings means the monetary savings achieved through measures to reduce energy expenditures relative to the amount that would have been necessary to sustain an equivalent level of capability in the absence of such measures.”.

Section 351 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 32 U.S.C. 501 note) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “may” and inserting “shall”.

Section 322 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. 2661 note prec.) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)—

(A) by striking “October 1, 2023” and inserting “October 1, 2026”; and

(B) by striking “in excess of one part per billion of” and inserting “detectable”;

(2) in subsection (c)—

(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;

(B) by striking “may not be used at any military installation on or after the earlier of the following dates” and inserting “may not be used at the following:”

“(1) Any military installation that, as of the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, has transitioned to the use of a fluorine-free fire-fighting agent that meets the military specifications issued pursuant to subsection (a).

(2) Any other military installation on or after the earlier of the following dates:”; and

(C) in subparagraph (A), as redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking “October 1, 2024” and inserting “October 1, 2026”;

(3) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

“(d) Exemptions.— Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to firefighting foam for use—

(1) onboard oceangoing vessels, including use in pier-side inspection, testing, and maintenance;

(2) that is necessary to conduct testing to meet military specification qualification requirements and ensure quality standards of the inventory of the Department;

(3) in connection with the research, development, test, and evaluation of a fluorine-free fire-fighting agent;

(4) on naval nuclear submarine propulsion plants; or

(5) in any tactical vehicle, or equipment, that is incompatible with fluorine-free fire-fighting agents.”; and

(4) in subsection (e)—

(A) in paragraph (1)—

(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “the limitation under subsection (b) or” before “the prohibition”; and

(ii) in subparagraph (B)—

(I) in clause (ii), by inserting “or to maintain military readiness” after “safety”;

(II) by striking clause (iii) and redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as clauses (iii) and (iv), respectively; and

(III) in clause (iii), as so redesignated, by striking “and does not require revision”; and

(B) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking “Secretary of Defense” and inserting “Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment”.

Section 345 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 3201 note prec.) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “if such equipment contains an intentionally added perfluoroalkyl substance or polyfluoroalkyl substance” and inserting “unless such equipment meets the specifications set forth in the most recently published edition of the National Fire Protection Associate 1970 standard, including by not containing any substance on the restricted substances list in excess of the maximum acceptable levels of such substance”; and

(2) in subsection (d)—

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “does not contain intentionally added perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances” and inserting “meets the specifications set forth in the most recently published edition of the National Fire Protection Associate 1970 standard, including by not containing any substance on the restricted substances list in excess of the maximum acceptable levels of such substance”; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by striking “does not contain intentionally added perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances” and inserting “meets the specifications set forth in the most recently published edition of the National Fire Protection Associate 1970 standard, including by not containing any substance on the restricted substances list in excess of the maximum acceptable levels of such substance,”.

(a) In general.— Subject to subsections (b) and (c), on and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall offer alternative drinking water to a household if—

(1) the household is downgradient from a military installation;

(2) the household receives water from one or more private drinking water wells where contamination from detections of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances resulting solely from activities of the Department of Defense, as determined by the Secretary, carried out at such military installation has, at one point in time, exceeded the maximum contaminant level for such substances established by the Environmental Protection Agency; and

(3) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, another household located in the same community was eligible for alternative drinking water provided by the Secretary by reason of contamination from detections of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances resulting from activities of the Department carried out at the same military installation.

(b) Coordination with other authorities.— The Secretary of Defense shall carry out this section in a manner that is consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the authorities of the Secretary under environmental law, including by prioritizing and coordinating the efforts of the Secretary under subsection (a) with other efforts to address releases of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid.

(c) Exception.— The Secretary is not required to offer or provide alternative drinking water to a household under subsection (a) if—

(1) the household is part of a community, as determined by the Secretary, where all the households in the community that have been affected by contamination from detections of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances resulting from activities of the Department have been connected to a municipal drinking water distribution system; or

(2) the Secretary has otherwise taken action under the Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) to reduce drinking water exposures, including by meeting the relevant Federal or State drinking water standards for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances.

(d) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term alternative drinking water includes—

(A) provision of bottled water;

(B) connection to public water systems for members of the public using private wells; and

(C) provision of filtration systems for private residences.

(2) The term Federal drinking water standard means an enforceable Federal standard for drinking water, as described in section 121(d)(2)(A)(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9621(d)(2)(A)(i)).

(3) The terms maximum contaminant level and public water system have the meanings given those terms in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f).

(4) The term private drinking water well means a drinking water well that is not a public water system and is not connected to a public water system.

(5) The term State drinking water standard means an enforceable State standard, in effect in that State, for drinking water, as described in section 121(d)(2)(A)(ii) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9621(d)(2)(A)(ii)).

(a) Executive agent.— The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and the Director of the Strategic Capabilities Office of the Department of Defense, shall ensure that, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, there is designated an executive agent of the Department of Defense for installation and operational nuclear energy.

(b) Responsibilities.— The responsibilities of the executive agent specified in subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) In coordination with the commanders of the combatant commands and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assessing installation and operational nuclear energy needs.

(2) Consulting with project developers and other experts from the commercial nuclear industry, potential private owners and operators of nuclear reactors to be deployed at military installations, and other persons determined appropriate by the executive agent, to assess the technological capabilities, development status, costs, timelines, risks, and potential need for design evolution of nuclear reactors to meet the needs of the Department of Defense referred to paragraph (1).

(3) In coordination with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretaries of the military departments, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, assessing the technology readiness, licensability, deployability, operability, and maintainability of nuclear reactors with respect to potential deployment at military installations.

(4) In coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments, integrating technical and project resources across the Department of Defense for the use of nuclear reactors to meet the needs of the Department of Defense referred to in paragraph (1), including by developing a plan to aggregate the demand for, and the acquisition and deployment of, nuclear reactors across military installations and military departments.

(5) In coordination with the Secretary of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission—

(A) evaluating the regulatory framework and other requirements applicable to the use of nuclear reactors to meet such needs; and

(B) establishing training programs and plans relating to the acquisition and operation of nuclear reactors to meet such needs.

(6) Identifying the timelines and resource requirements necessary for the acquisition and operation of nuclear reactors to meet such needs, including—

(A) any support necessary from the national laboratories of the Department of Energy; and

(B) any funding necessary to carry out interim pilot programs for the limited deployment of nuclear reactors until such timelines and resource requirements are met.

(7) Including resource requirements identified pursuant to paragraph (6), and any other resource requirements necessary to carry out this subsection, in applicable planning, programming, budgeting, and execution processes of the Department of Defense, including by preparing, as applicable—

(A) a program objective memorandum for any new resource so required; and

(B) a budget justification for any new resource so required for inclusion in the budget materials submitted by the Secretary of Defense to Congress in support of the President’s annual budget request (submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code).

(8) Providing technical support for programs of the military departments relating to the deployment of nuclear reactors for installation energy resilience.

(c) Annual reports.— Not later than September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter for a period of five years, the executive agent specified in subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees a report describing the actions taken to implement this section during the one-year period ending on the date of the submission of such report.

(d) Plan for program of record.—

(1) Submission.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the executive agent specified in subsection (a), shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to establish a program of record of the Department of Defense to meet installation and operational nuclear energy needs.

(2) Elements.— The plan under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) An identification of requirements necessary for the establishment of the program of record specified in such paragraph.

(B) A budget estimate for such program of record through 2030 or through the conclusion of the five-year period following the first date on which a nuclear reactor is deployed at a military installation, whichever is later.

(C) A summary of actions taken to implement the responsibilities under subsection (b) and information derived as a result of such actions.

(D) Use cases for nuclear reactors, developed in coordination with the commanders of combatant commands with respect to installation and operational needs (including needs relating to the electrification of operational energy, elimination of fuel supply vulnerabilities, military installation resilience, sustainment of military installations, enablement of multi-domain operations, and advanced weaponry).

(E) An identification of the minimum potential number of military installations at which nuclear reactors would be necessary to deploy in order to establish a cost-effective program, and projected dates by which such nuclear reactors would achieve initial operational capability.

(F) An estimate of fuel requirements necessary to support the deployment of various models of nuclear reactors at military installations, to inform future acquisition planning.

(e) Compliance with applicable directive.— The Secretary shall carry out this section in compliance with Directive 5101.01.

(f) Support within Department of Defense.— In accordance with Directive 5101.01, the Secretary shall ensure that the military departments, the Defense Agencies, and other elements of the Department of Defense provide the executive agent specified in subsection (a) with the appropriate support and resources needed to perform the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the executive agent.

(g) Definitions.— In this section—

(1) The term Directive 5101.01 means Department of Defense Directive 5101.01, or any successor directive relating to the responsibilities of an executive agent of the Department of Defense.

(2) The terms energy resilience and military installation resilience have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.

(3) The term executive agent has the meaning given the term DoD Executive Agent in Directive 5101.01.

(4) The term installation and operational nuclear energy means energy that is—

(A) generated by a utilization facility authorized pursuant to section 91b. of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2121(b)); and

(B) used exclusively for the purposes of providing—

(i) operational energy (as such term is defined in section 2924 of title 10, United States Code); or

(ii) the energy required for a military installation (as such term is defined in section 2801 of title 10, United States Code).

(a) In general.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish an Advanced Nuclear Transition Working Group (referred to in this section as the “working group”).

(b) Membership.— The Working Group shall be composed of the following members:

(1) The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment.

(2) The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment.

(3) The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment.

(4) The Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and Environment.

(5) The Joint Staff Director for Logistics, J4.

(6) The Principal Director for Energy Resilience of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

(7) The Director of the Strategic Capabilities Office.

(8) The Director of the Defense Innovation Unit.

(9) The heads of such other components of the Department of Defense, as determined by the Chair.

(c) Chair.— The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs, or a designee, shall serve as the Chair of the Working Group.

(d) Duties.— The duties of the Working Group shall include the following:

(1) To develop and execute a strategy to accelerate the procurement and fielding of commercial advanced nuclear capabilities, in compliance with laws, regulations, and agreements, and consistent with best practices.

(2) To identify and elevate the critical energy requirements of the combatant commands, United States military installations, and the infrastructure and mission capability needs of the combatant commands and military installations that may be addressed with advanced nuclear reactors.

(3) To connect the combatant commands and military installations with ongoing and planned efforts.

(4) To create an accelerated pathway to leverage advanced nuclear technologies to address operational gaps.

(5) To provide a forum for members of the Working Group to coordinate advanced nuclear demonstration and transition efforts, including by increasing opportunities and venues for government and commercial research and development, testing and evaluation, and procurement activities.

(6) To advocate for appropriate levels of resourcing within planning, programming, budgeting, and execution processes to advance the development and use of nuclear energy technologies across the Department of Defense.

(7) To coordinate interagency activities and develop best practices on workforce development, regulatory pathways, licensing frameworks, access to fuel sources, safety and security standards, and decommissioning that currently hinder more rapid fielding of advanced nuclear reactors.

(8) To establish venues through which to engage commercial companies developing advanced reactors so as to review the technology readiness, timeline, and availability of reactor capabilities for defense applications.

(9) To inform and complete the briefings and reports required in subsection (f).

(e) Meetings.— The Working Group shall meet at the call of the Chair and not less frequently than once per quarter.

(f) Report.—

(1) In general.— Not later than September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter until 2029, the Chair shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing the status of advanced nuclear projects, associated funding and requirements, planned program transitions, actions, and milestones of the Working Group, and other matters as determined by the Secretary of Defense and the Working Group during the preceding year.

(2) Contents.— Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) A summary on the adequacy of existing energy storage and distribution systems to meet mission requirements in a contested or austere operating environment.

(B) An identification of the critical energy requirements of the combatant commands, United States military installations, and the infrastructure and weapons capabilities needs of the combatant commands and military installations that may be addressed with the use of microreactors or small modular reactors, including through expeditionary, transportable, stationary, space-based, or floating power plants.

(C) A list of prioritized potential use cases, including—

(i) base electric power;

(ii) power for operational systems in austere environments;

(iii) desalination or other water production systems;

(iv) synthetic fuel production;

(v) directed energy weapons;

(vi) artificial intelligence at the edge;

(vii) defense support of civil authorities;

(viii) humanitarian response; and

(ix) 3D/additive manufacturing.

(D) Recommendations for at least three pilot projects.

(3) Appropriate congressional committees.— In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.

(g) Termination.— The Working Group shall terminate on September 30, 2029.

(a) Establishment.— Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a program of record of the Department of the Air Force to—

(1) acquire and use non-space based commercial weather data to—

(A) support operational weather forecasting; and

(B) enhance mission planning and execution in data-sparse and contested environments; and

(2) integrate such commercial weather data and related systems into meteorological and decision support frameworks of the Air Force.

(b) Submission to Congress.— Not later than March 1, 2026, the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees, with respect to the program of record to be established under subsection (a), the following:

(1) A transition plan for the adoption of such program of record, including projected costs and funding requirements over the period covered by the program objective memorandum process for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

(2) An acquisition strategy for such program of record, including an outline of potential middle tier of acquisition pathways or major capability acquisition pathways (as such term is defined in Department of Defense Instruction 5000.85, titled “Major Capability Acquisition” and issued on August 6, 2020 (or successor instruction)).

(3) A budget justification for inclusion of such program of record in the budget materials submitted by the Secretary of Defense to Congress in support of the President’s annual budget request (submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code) for fiscal year 2027, to secure sustained funding.

(a) Pilot program required.— Beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment shall initiate a ten-year pilot program at one or more naval installations for the purpose of determining how small modular reactors or mobile reactors could be used—

(1) to meet the installation energy needs of the Department of the Navy during the ten-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(2) to inform the development of concepts for the use of nuclear power facilities to support increased energy security for Navy and Marine Corps installations.

(b) Considerations.—

(1) Selection of installations.— In selecting naval installations for the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment shall consider whether an installation—

(A) has entered into, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, a memorandum of agreement with a private power provider or reactor technology vendor to explore the use of a small modular reactor or mobile reactor designed for standardized and scaleable production for installation energy requirements;

(B) contributes support to naval operations and readiness; and

(C) could be co-located with a data center.

(2) Selection of reactors.— In selecting nuclear reactors for use in the pilot program required under subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary shall consider—

(A) the type of fuel for advanced nuclear power production, with a preference for fuel that is resistant to high heat, such as tri-structural isotropic particle fuel;

(B) the capacity of the reactor, including that the needed capacity of the reactor is in the range of 20MW to 300MW; and

(C) whether the reactor includes a passive cooling system to ensure operational safety and sustainability.

(c) Program requirements.— In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment shall—

(1) assess and make recommendations regarding how to make available the facilities of a Navy or Marine Corps program selected for participation in the pilot program;

(2) ensure that the program includes a plan for refueling and end-of-life waste stream management;

(3) ensure that any reactor used in the program is resilient to grid interruption; and

(4) coordinate with the working group established by section 319 and the executive agent established by section 318 with respect to timing, sequencing of projects, and locations and to prevent duplication and conflicts between the pilot program and other pilot programs and nuclear initiatives of the Department of Defense.

(d) Contracts.— The pilot program does not require the Secretary of the Navy to enter into any new contract, including an energy savings performance contract.

(e) Reporting requirements.—

(1) Annual report.— Not later than 30 days after the date of the initiation of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes each of the following:

(A) A five-year funding plan for all Navy nuclear shore and installation power programs for the Navy, including nuclear efforts provided for in the context of the Navy Shore Energy Program and any identified funding shortfalls.

(B) An identification of authorities required and remaining barriers to the provision of nuclear power from a military installation to civilian energy grids.

(C) A review of lessons learned from related efforts conducted by the other military departments, the Defense Innovation Unit, and any other entities the Secretary considers relevant.

(D) An analysis of efforts taken by the Navy to use nuclear power on Navy installations to support data center power demands.

(E) Any other details the Secretary of the Navy considers relevant.

(2) Final report.— Upon conclusion of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes, or include in the report required under section 2925 of title 10, United States Code, for the fiscal year during which the pilot program concludes, each of the following:

(A) An identification of the funding that would be required to convert the pilot program to a program of record.

(B) An identification of all available funding provided in the budget of the Navy for the fiscal year during which the report is submitted for nuclear power at Navy and Marine Corps installations.

(C) A list of all installations where the Secretary is considering the future use of nuclear power.

(f) Early termination.— The Secretary of the Navy may terminate the pilot program before the expiration of the ten-year period referred to in subsection (a) if the Secretary provides notice of such early termination to the congressional defense committees.

(a) Strategy.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy to accelerate the response efforts of the Department of Defense with respect to releases of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances from the activities of the Department. Consistent with CERCLA, the strategy shall include—

(1) criteria that the Department uses to prioritize response actions on military installations and National Guard facilities based on relative risk to human health and the environment, including concentrations of releases of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances, migration pathways, and proximity to receptors;

(2) timelines for completing each phase of the cleanup process under CERCLA with respect to such releases for each such military installation or National Guard facility;

(3) a plan for deploying additional technologies, personnel, or other resources to reduce delays to remediation efforts, including an identification of—

(A) the number of laboratories accredited by the environmental laboratory accreditation program of the Department to test for the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances; and

(B) the number of laboratories in the process of being so accredited; and

(4) benchmarks for evaluating the performance of each military department or Defense Agency in reducing the relative risk with respect to response efforts to address releases of perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

(b) Public dashboard.— Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish on a publicly accessible website of the Department, an online dashboard that provides information on the actions of the Department, including each military department, addressing releases of perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances from activities of the Department. The dashboard shall be updated on a semiannual basis and shall include a summary of—

(1) funding that has been obligated or expended address such releases, dissagregated by each military installation or National Guard facility with respect to which efforts are planned or underway;

(2) the status of response efforts to address such releases under the applicable phase of the cleanup process under CERCLA, including the status of any interim removal actions, at each such site;

(3) projected and actual timelines for the completion of response actions with respect to such releases at each such site; and

(4) points of contact for community engagement.

(c) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The terms CERCLA, National Guard facility, removal, and response have the meanings given those terms in section 2700 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term Defense Agency has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.

(a) Notification.— Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall, not later than one year before any date on which the Secretary carries out the placement of a permanent nuclear reactor in Guam, submit to Congress and the Governor of Guam a notification of such placement.

(b) Exception.— Subsection (a) shall not apply to a nuclear reactor aboard a naval vessel.

(c) Nuclear reactor defined.— In this section, the term nuclear reactor has the meaning given the term advanced nuclear reactor in section 951 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16271).

(a) Authority.— The Secretary of Defense may use technologies for the destruction or disposal of a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance that—

(1) are cost effective; and

(2) are permitted or otherwise approved by a Federal or State agency that regulates the destruction or disposal of such a substance.

(b) Guidance.— The Secretary shall—

(1) issue guidance implementing the authority under subsection (a), including by setting forth technologies that the Secretary determines meet the criteria specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection; and

(2) periodically review and revise such guidance, taking into account the development of new technologies.

Section 482(b)(8) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking “Class A, Class B, and Class C mishaps” and inserting “Class A and Class B mishaps, and a summary count of all Class C mishaps,”.

Section 2012(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting “, including supplies incidental to such support and services,” after “and services”.

Section 2208(u)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking “September 30, 2025” and inserting “September 30, 2027”.

(a) Designation of senior military department officials.— Chapter 131 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“2229b. Responsibility for contested logistics posture management.—

(a) In general.— The Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of the United States Transportation Command shall be responsible for the integration of global contested logistics posture management. Such responsibilities shall include each of the following:

(1) Identifying vulnerabilities and risks across the Department of Defense enterprise for the core logistics capabilities of supply, maintenance operations, prepositioned stocks, deployment and distribution, health services support, engineering, logistics services, and operational service contracts.

(2) Developing and executing a strategy to mitigate the vulnerabilities and risks identified under paragraph (1).

(3) Integrating and deconflicting global contested logistics posture investment and management across the military departments, including with respect to—

(A) the locations of sites outside the continental United States at which stocks of supplies and equipment are stored as well as the composition of those stocks;

(B) the provision of adequate intra-theater sea and air capability to move material and personnel throughout the theater; and

(C) the monitoring and coordination of resourcing decisions by the military departments in support of operational plans and contingencies.

(b) Deputy management action group meetings.— In carrying out the responsibilities under subsection (a)(1) and (2), the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff shall co-chair at least two Deputy Management Action Group meetings each year, which shall be focused on contested logistics management and investment.

(c) Contested logistics posture strategy.—

(1) The Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, in coordination with any other Department official identified by the Secretary, shall develop and implement a strategy for carrying out the responsibilities described in subsection (a).

(2) The strategy required under paragraph (1) shall include each of the following:

(A) A description of—

(i) the locations of sites outside the continental United States at which stocks of supplies and equipment are prepositioned as of the date of the strategy;

(ii) the status and disposition of such prepositioned stocks; and

(iii) the operational or contingency plan such stocks are intended to support.

(B) An identification of—

(i) any shortcomings associated with the sites and prepositioned stocks described in subparagraph (A) that must be addressed to optimally execute operational and contingency plans; and

(ii) any additional sites, infrastructure, or equipment that may be needed to address such shortcomings and support such plans.

(C) A description of any additional funding or other resources required—

(i) to address the shortcomings identified under subparagraph (B)(i); and

(ii) to provide for the additional sites, infrastructure, and equipment identified under subparagraph (B)(ii).

(D) A prioritized list of investment recommendations for each item described in subparagraph (C).

(E) An identification of each case in which the military department concerned lacks the authority or ability to access a location outside the United States for purposes of providing logistics support as required under operational and contingency plans, set forth separately by location.

(F) An assessment of any existing and projected threats to sites outside the continental United States that are expected to support such operational and contingency plans.

(3) The strategy required under paragraph (1) shall cover the period of two years following the date of the strategy and shall be updated on an biennial basis.

(d) Quarterly briefings.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and quarterly thereafter until December 31, 2031, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, or their representatives, shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing on the execution of the responsibilities under subsection (a)(1) and (2), including updates on the development and implementation of the strategy required under subsection (c).

(e) Budget justification materials.— The Secretary of Defense shall include in the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the budget of the President for a fiscal year pursuant to section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, a cumulative accounting of contested logistics investments represented in such budget and how such investments relate to the duties and responsibilities under subsection (a)(1) and (2).”.

(b) Deadline.— The development of the strategy required under subsection (c) of section 2229b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be completed by not later than January 31, 2027.

Section 2465(b)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “for the performance of firefighting functions if the contract” and inserting “that”;

(2) in subparagraph (B)—

(A) by striking “only”;

(B) by striking “firefighting”; and

(C) by striking “by reason of a deployment”.

(a) Establishment.— Chapter 157 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2636a the following new section:

“2636b. Responsibilities for oversight of personal property transportation.—

(a) Responsibilities.— Subject to subsection (b), not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall assign to a single office or other organizational element within the Department of Defense the following responsibilities:

(1) Overseeing the activities and personnel of, and any other matter relating to, the following:

(A) Any office or other organizational element of a military department responsible for shipping baggage or household effects, scheduling or processing orders for such shipments, providing storage services for such baggage or household effects, or providing privately owned vehicle transportation services in connection with a permanent change of station, on behalf of members of the armed forces, including any personal property shipping office, joint or consolidated personal property shipping office, or personal property processing office of such military department.

(B) The Defense Personal Property Management Office, or any such successor office.

(2) Overseeing the adjudication of any claim filed with respect to the defense personal property program (including the adjudication of such claims under section 2636(a) of this title or section 3721 of title 31) and any other matter relating to such program.

(b) Exclusion.— The responsibilities under subsection (a) may not be assigned to any combatant command or component thereof.

(c) Defense personal property program defined.— In this section, the term “defense personal property program” means the program of the Department of Defense for managing the shipment of the baggage and household effects for members of the armed forces or civilian employees of the Department, or any such successor program.”.

(b) Briefing.— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a briefing on the plan and timeline for the implementation of section 2636b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). Such briefing shall include—

(1) an identification of the office or other organizational element within the Department of Defense to which the Secretary plans to assign the responsibilities specified in such section 2636b;

(2) details relating to any changes to requirements, authorities, or processes necessary to implement such section 2636b;

(3) an estimate of the resources required to implement such section 2636b;

(4) a plan to improve the business systems supporting the office or other organizational element identified pursuant to paragraph (1) with respect to the conduct of the responsibilities specified in such section 2636b;

(5) a plan to provide the necessary staffing and resourcing for such office or other organizational element with respect to the conduct of such responsibilities; and

(6) a plan for partnership with commercial service household goods providers.

(c) Regulations.— Not later than 90 days after the date on which the briefing is provided under subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to implement section 2636b of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a).

Chapter 863 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“8698. Roles and responsibilities relating to sustainment and readiness of certain naval surface vessels.—

(a) Type commander leadership.—

(1) Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Navy shall—

(A) designate type commanders as the primary authorities responsible for the maintenance, repair, sustainment, and readiness of covered vessels; and

(B) ensure that regional maintenance centers act under the direction of, and in support of, type commanders with respect to such maintenance, repair, and sustainment.

(2) The responsibilities of each type commander under paragraph (1)(A) shall include—

(A) overseeing all maintenance and repair activities at private shipyards for covered vessels in the naval force of that type commander; and

(B) setting priorities and approving contracts for the maintenance and repair of such vessels.

(b) Maintenance and repair at private shipyards.—

(1) Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this section, for each covered vessel undergoing maintenance or repair at a private shipyard, the project manager concerned, the port engineer concerned, and the commanding officer of such vessel—

(A) may jointly determine the work to be performed during the overhaul period for the covered vessel, including by jointly adjusting priorities for such work consistent with the applicable budget and schedule for such maintenance or repair; and

(B) shall report directly to the type commander of the naval force to which the covered vessel belongs with respect to such maintenance or repair.

(2) Contracting officers of the Department of Defense shall manage contracts as necessary to ensure consistency with any determination or adjustment made pursuant to paragraph (1)(A).

(c) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term “covered vessel” means a naval surface vessel that is not propelled or powered by a nuclear reactor.

(2) The term port engineer concerned means, with respect to a naval vessel, the technical expert on the condition of such vessel responsible for advising on repairs and related standards for such vessel.

(3) The term project manager concerned means, with respect to a naval vessel undergoing maintenance or repair, the individual responsible for overseeing the overhaul period with respect to such maintenance or repair.

(4) The term regional maintenance center—

(A) means an organization of the Navy that supports ship maintenance in a designated geographic region; and

(B) includes the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center in Nofolk, Virginia, the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego, California, the Southeast Regional Maintenance Center in Mayport, Florida, and the Hawaii Regional Maintenance Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

(5) The term type commander means the flag officer in command of a naval surface force, such as the following:

(A) Commander, Naval Surface Force, Atlantic.

(B) Commander, Naval Surface Force, Pacific Fleet.”.

Section 359 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1323; 10 U.S.C. 2476 note) is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (c); and

(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively.

Section 355(c)(2)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 8013 note) is amended by inserting before the semicolon the following: “, and the incorporation of digital infrastructure (including hardware, software, and cloud storage) and platforms into such program”.

Section 352 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 229) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking “September 30, 2026” and inserting “September 30, 2028”; and

(2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(6) Details regarding the maintenance and service life extension plan for each operational amphibious warfare ship (as such term is defined in section 8062 of title 10, United States Code) within such fleet until the obligation and work limiting date for the construction contract for a replacement amphibious warship, as necessary to meet the requirements under subsection (b) of such section 8062.”.

(a) Requirement.— Subject to the requirements of subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that when the Department of Defense conducts maintenance of aviation critical safety items and mission critical parts, such maintenance—

(1) includes the use of a technical data requirement or organic or commercially available diagnostic tool, if such a requirement or tool is required and available; and

(2) is not conducted solely through visual inspection unless—

(A) no such requirement or tool is available; or

(B) only a visual inspection is required under a technical data requirement.

(b) Sustainment.— The Secretary shall ensure that the acquisition of appropriate technical data requirements and diagnostic tools for the conduct of maintenance of aviation critical safety items and mission critical parts are planned as part of the sustainment of the systems containing such items and parts.

(c) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) The term aviation critical safety item means any part, assembly, installation equipment, launch equipment, recovery equipment, or support equipment for an aircraft or aviation weapon system the failure, malfunction, or absence of which could cause—

(A) a catastrophic or critical failure resulting in the loss of or serious damage to the aircraft or weapon system;

(B) an unacceptable risk of personal injury or loss of life; or

(C) an uncommanded engine shutdown that jeopardizes safety.

(2) The term corrosion means the deterioration of a material or its properties, including non-metallic materials, due to a reaction of that material with the chemical environment.

(3) The term diagnostic tool means a non-destructive inspection tool capable of—

(A) detecting corrosion, cracks, component damage, adhesion failure, and standard wear and tear; and

(B) leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to build a predictive maintenance database when necessary to improve maintainability.

(a) Requirements.— By not later than September 30, 2028, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, shall ensure that—

(1) sufficient wartime spares, support equipment, and depot level capabilities are projected to be available for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to—

(A) sustain F-35 Joint Strike Fighter operations for at least 90 days in the most stressing operational plan required of each such Secretary; and

(B) meet the fleet wide minimum readiness targets established by each such Secretary;

(2) each F-35 Joint Strike Fighter contractor has provided to the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary has validated as accurate, all information that is necessary for the Department of Defense to successfully complete the financial reporting and accountability requirements for F-35 property, including—

(A) the incorporation of information relating to the management and reporting of Government property that has been provided for contractor performance, as defined and agreed upon in the contract entered into by the contractor; and

(B) the remediation of all material weaknesses of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program identified in the Department of Defense Agency Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2024 that are within the control and responsibility of the contractor; and

(3) spare parts for F-35 aircraft titled to the United States Government under the international system for managing such spare parts commonly referred to as the “global spares pool” are initially provisioned and catalogued with national stock numbers.

(b) Treatment of individual contracts.— The information required under subsection (a)(2) may be provided on an individual contract basis.

(c) Waiver.— The Secretary may waive a requirement under subsection (a) if the Secretary—

(1) determines that such waiver is in the national security interests of the United States; and

(2) provides to the congressional defense committees notice of such determination, which shall include an identification of the concern of the Secretary, a remedial action plan, and a proposed timeline to meet the requirements of such subsection.

(d) Report.— Not later than February 1, 2026, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Air Force, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program that includes a description of each of the following:

(1) The top scarce supply assets and plans to reach sustainable supply positions by not later than September 30, 2028.

(2) The readiness condition of afloat and deployment spares packages and efforts available to refresh outdated supplies and spares.

(3) The fiscal programming, by fiscal year, necessary to reduce deficient parts and depot capabilities to meet the joint strike fighter planning targets by not later than September 30, 2028.

(4) A plan, by fiscal year, to integrate the spare parts specified in subsection (a)(3) into the working-capital funds of the Department of the Air Force and Department of the Navy, respectively.

(a) In general.— Each year, the Secretary of the Air Force shall incorporate in at least one multinational exercise conducted in the area of operations of the United States Indo-Pacific Command—