[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 198 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8148-S8149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4623. Mr. YOUNG submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to
the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
[[Page S8149]]
At the end of subtitle E of title VIII, add the following:
SEC. 857. PILOT PROGRAM TO CREATE THREAT-RESPONSIVE
ELECTRONIC WARFARE CAPABILITIES.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) electronic warfare is an increasingly important
function in modern conflict, with advances made possible by
new microelectronics and software capabilities;
(2) the Department of Defense pursues Electronic Warfare
capabilities mostly through investments in major defense
acquisition programs aligned around platforms, including
aircraft and ships, and the resulting capabilities are often
defensive in nature, focused on protecting the host platform;
and
(3) there is substantial opportunity and need to deliver
electronic warfare capabilities focused on specific threats,
and responsive to related changes and opportunities.
(b) Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--The Under Secretary of Acquisition and
Sustainment may establish a pilot program to create threat-
responsive electronic warfare capabilities.
(2) Focus.--The pilot program established under paragraph
(1) shall focus on the following objectives:
(A) Selection of specific threats, including those relevant
to the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Assault
Breaker II program.
(B) Offensive electronic warfare capabilities.
(C) Capabilities that cross multiple platforms, domains, or
mission systems.
(D) Capabilities that may alter the conduct of existing
platform missions or roles.
(3) Organization.--The Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition and Sustainment may organize the pilot program
under its Platforms and Weapons Portfolio Manager function or
other suitable function cognizance and oversight of
Electronic warfare equities across the Department of Defense.
(4) Acquisition.--To the extent feasible, capabilities
directed, coordinated, developed, or procured under this
pilot shall be inserted into existing weapons systems in the
sustainment phase of their lifecycle, reflecting a software-
defined and threat-responsive approach.
(5) Recommendations.--The Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition and Sustainment shall make recommendations on the
utility of organizing the funding and activities currently
aligned with hardware-centric program elements into one or
more portfolios organized according to functional needs in
accordance with objectives the pilot program.
(c) Annual Briefing.--Not later than one year after the
date on which a pilot program is established under subsection
(b), and annually thereafter until the date that is five
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a briefing on
the pilot program.
(d) Termination.--The pilot program shall terminate on the
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
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