CHAPTER 144B—WEAPON SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED MATTERS

¹ So in original. Does not conform to subchapter heading.

SUBCHAPTER I—MODULAR OPEN SYSTEM APPROACH IN DEVELOPMENT OF WEAPON SYSTEMS

§2446a. Requirement for modular open system approach in major defense acquisition programs; definitions

(a) Modular Open System Approach Requirement.—A major defense acquisition program that receives Milestone A or Milestone B approval after January 1, 2019, shall be designed and developed, to the maximum extent practicable, with a modular open system approach to enable incremental development and enhance competition, innovation, and interoperability.

(b) Definitions.—In this chapter:

(1) The term "modular open system approach" means, with respect to a major defense acquisition program, an integrated business and technical strategy that—

(A) employs a modular design that uses major system interfaces between a major system platform and a major system component, between major system components, or between major system platforms;

(B) is subjected to verification to ensure major system interfaces comply with, if available and suitable, widely supported and consensus-based standards;

(C) uses a system architecture that allows severable major system components at the appropriate level to be incrementally added, removed, or replaced throughout the life cycle of a major system platform to afford opportunities for enhanced competition and innovation while yielding—

(i) significant cost savings or avoidance;

(ii) schedule reduction;

(iii) opportunities for technical upgrades;

(iv) increased interoperability, including system of systems interoperability and mission integration; or

(v) other benefits during the sustainment phase of a major weapon system; and

(D) complies with the technical data rights set forth in section 2320 of this title.

(2) The term "major system platform" means the highest level structure of a major weapon system that is not physically mounted or installed onto a higher level structure and on which a major system component can be physically mounted or installed.

(3) The term "major system component"—

(A) means a high level subsystem or assembly, including hardware, software, or an integrated assembly of both, that can be mounted or installed on a major system platform through well-defined major system interfaces; and

(B) includes a subsystem or assembly that is likely to have additional capability requirements, is likely to change because of evolving technology or threat, is needed for interoperability, facilitates incremental deployment of capabilities, or is expected to be replaced by another major system component.

(4) The term "major system interface"—

(A) means a shared boundary between a major system platform and a major system component, between major system components, or between major system platforms, defined by various physical, logical, and functional characteristics, such as electrical, mechanical, fluidic, optical, radio frequency, data, networking, or software elements; and

(B) is characterized clearly in terms of form, function, and the content that flows across the interface in order to enable technological innovation, incremental improvements, integration, and interoperability.

(5) The term "program capability document" means, with respect to a major defense acquisition program, a document that specifies capability requirements for the program, such as a capability development document or a capability production document.

(6) The terms "program cost targets" and "fielding target" have the meanings provided in section 2448a(a) of this title.

(7) The term "major defense acquisition program" has the meaning provided in section 2430 of this title.

(8) The term "major weapon system" has the meaning provided in section 2379(f) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §805(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2252.)

Effective Date

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §805(a)(4), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2255, provided that: "Subchapter I of chapter 144B of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall take effect on January 1, 2017."

§2446b. Requirement to address modular open system approach in program capabilities development and acquisition weapon system design

(a) Program Capability Document.—A program capability document for a major defense acquisition program shall identify and characterize—

(1) the extent to which requirements for system performance are likely to evolve during the life cycle of the system because of evolving technology, threat, or interoperability needs; and

(2) for requirements that are expected to evolve, the minimum acceptable capability that is necessary for initial operating capability of the major defense acquisition program.

(b) Analysis of Alternatives.—The Director of Cost Assessment and Performance Evaluation, in formulating study guidance for analyses of alternatives for major defense acquisition programs and performing such analyses under section 139a(d)(4) of this title, shall ensure that any such analysis for a major defense acquisition program includes consideration of evolutionary acquisition, prototyping, and a modular open system approach.

(c) Acquisition Strategy.—In the case of a major defense acquisition program that uses a modular open system approach, the acquisition strategy required under section 2431a of this title shall—

(1) clearly describe the modular open system approach to be used for the program;

(2) differentiate between the major system platform and major system components being developed under the program, as well as major system components developed outside the program that will be integrated into the major defense acquisition program;

(3) clearly describe the evolution of major system components that are anticipated to be added, removed, or replaced in subsequent increments;

(4) identify additional major system components that may be added later in the life cycle of the major system platform;

(5) clearly describe how intellectual property and related issues, such as technical data deliverables, that are necessary to support a modular open system approach, will be addressed; and

(6) clearly describe the approach to systems integration and systems-level configuration management to ensure mission and information assurance.

(d) Request for Proposals.—The milestone decision authority for a major defense acquisition program that uses a modular open system approach shall ensure that a request for proposals for the development or production phases of the program shall describe the modular open system approach and the minimum set of major system components that must be included in the design of the major defense acquisition program.

(e) Milestone B.—A major defense acquisition program may not receive Milestone B approval under section 2366b of this title until the milestone decision authority determines in writing that—

(1) in the case of a program that uses a modular open system approach—

(A) the program incorporates clearly defined major system interfaces between the major system platform and major system components, between major system components, and between major system platforms;

(B) such major system interfaces are consistent with the widely supported and consensus-based standards that exist at the time of the milestone decision, unless such standards are unavailable or unsuitable for particular major system interfaces; and

(C) the Government has arranged to obtain appropriate and necessary intellectual property rights with respect to such major system interfaces upon completion of the development of the major system platform; or

(2) in the case of a program that does not use a modular open system approach, that the use of a modular open system approach is not practicable.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §805(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2253.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 805(a)(4) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2446a of this title.

§2446c. Requirements relating to availability of major system interfaces and support for modular open system approach

The Secretary of each military department shall—

(1) coordinate with the other military departments, the defense agencies, defense and other private sector entities, national standards-setting organizations, and, when appropriate, with elements of the intelligence community with respect to the specification, identification, development, and maintenance of major system interfaces and standards for use in major system platforms, where practicable;

(2) ensure that major system interfaces incorporate commercial standards and other widely supported consensus-based standards that are validated, published, and maintained by recognized standards organizations to the maximum extent practicable;

(3) ensure that sufficient systems engineering and development expertise and resources are available to support the use of a modular open system approach in requirements development and acquisition program planning;

(4) ensure that necessary planning, programming, and budgeting resources are provided to specify, identify, develop, and sustain the modular open system approach, associated major system interfaces, systems integration, and any additional program activities necessary to sustain innovation and interoperability; and

(5) ensure that adequate training in the use of a modular open system approach is provided to members of the requirements and acquisition workforce.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §805(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2255.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 805(a)(4) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2446a of this title.

SUBCHAPTER II—DEVELOPMENT, PROTOTYPING, AND DEPLOYMENT OF WEAPON SYSTEM COMPONENTS OR TECHNOLOGY

§2447a. Weapon system component or technology prototype projects: display of budget information

(a) Requirements for Budget Display.—In the defense budget materials for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2017, the Secretary of Defense shall, with respect to advanced component development and prototype activities (within the research, development, test, and evaluation budget), set forth the amounts requested for each of the following:

(1) Acquisition programs of record.

(2) Development, prototyping, and experimentation of weapon system components or other technologies, including those based on commercial items and technologies, separate from acquisition programs of record.

(3) Other budget line items as determined by the Secretary of Defense.

(b) Additional Requirements.—For purposes of subsection (a)(2), the amounts requested for development, prototyping, and experimentation of weapon system components or other technologies shall be—

(1) structured into either capability, weapon system component, or technology portfolios that reflect the priority areas for prototype projects; and

(2) justified with general descriptions of the types of capability areas and technologies being funded or expected to be funded during the fiscal year concerned.

(c) Definitions.—In this section, the terms "budget" and "defense budget materials" have the meaning given those terms in section 234 of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2256.)

Effective Date

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2259, provided that: "Subchapter II of chapter 144B of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall take effect on January 1, 2017."

§2447b. Weapon system component or technology prototype projects: oversight

(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of each military department shall establish an oversight board or identify a similar existing group of senior advisors for managing prototype projects for weapon system components and other technologies and subsystems, including the use of funds for such projects, within the military department concerned.

(b) Membership.—Each oversight board shall be comprised of senior officials with—

(1) expertise in requirements; research, development, test, and evaluation; acquisition; sustainment; or other relevant areas within the military department concerned;

(2) awareness of technology development activities and opportunities in the Department of Defense, industry, and other sources; and

(3) awareness of the component capability requirements of major weapon systems, including scheduling and fielding goals for such component capabilities.

(c) Functions.—The functions of each oversight board are as follows:

(1) To issue a strategic plan every three years that prioritizes the capability and weapon system component portfolio areas for conducting prototype projects, based on assessments of—

(A) high priority warfighter needs;

(B) capability gaps or readiness issues with major weapon systems;

(C) opportunities to incrementally integrate new components into major weapon systems based on commercial technology or science and technology efforts that are expected to be sufficiently mature to prototype within three years; and

(D) opportunities to reduce operation and support costs of major weapon systems.

(2) To annually recommend funding levels for weapon system component or technology development and prototype projects across capability or weapon system component portfolios.

(3) To annually recommend to the service acquisition executive of the military department concerned specific weapon system component or technology development and prototype projects, subject to the requirements and limitations in section 2447c of this title.

(4) To ensure projects are managed by experts within the Department of Defense who are knowledgeable in research, development, test, and evaluation and who are aware of opportunities for incremental deployment of component capabilities and other technologies to major weapon systems or directly to support warfighting capabilities.

(5) To ensure projects are conducted in a manner that allows for appropriate experimentation and technology risk.

(6) To ensure projects have a plan for technology transition of the prototype into a fielded system, program of record, or operational use, as appropriate, upon successful achievement of technical and project goals.

(7) To ensure necessary technical, contracting, and financial management resources are available to support each project.

(8) To submit to the congressional defense committees a semiannual notification that includes the following:

(A) each weapon system component or technology prototype project initiated during the preceding six months, including an explanation of each project and its required funding.

(B) the results achieved from weapon system component prototype and technology projects completed and tested during the preceding six months.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2257.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 806(a)(2) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2447a of this title.

§2447c. Requirements and limitations for weapon system component or technology prototype projects

(a) Limitation on Prototype Project Duration.—A prototype project shall be completed within two years of its initiation.

(b) Merit-based Selection Process.—A prototype project shall be selected by the service acquisition executive of the military department concerned through a merit-based selection process that identifies the most promising, innovative, and cost-effective prototypes that address one or more of the elements set forth in subsection (c)(1) of section 2447b of this title and are expected to be successfully demonstrated in a relevant environment.

(c) Type of Transaction.—Prototype projects shall be funded through contracts, cooperative agreements, or other transactions.

(d) Funding Limit.—(1) Each prototype project may not exceed a total amount of $10,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2017 constant dollars), unless—

(A) the Secretary of the military department, or the Secretary's designee, approves a larger amount of funding for the project, not to exceed $50,000,000; and

(B) the Secretary, or the Secretary's designee, submits to the congressional defense committees, within 30 days after approval of such funding for the project, a notification that includes—

(i) the project;

(ii) expected funding for the project; and

(iii) a statement of the anticipated outcome of the project.

(2) The Secretary of Defense may adjust the amounts (and the base fiscal year) provided in paragraph (1) on the basis of Department of Defense escalation rates.

(e) Related Prototype Authorities.—Prototype projects that exceed the duration and funding limits established in this section shall be pursued under the rapid prototyping process established by section 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note). In addition, nothing in this subchapter shall affect the authority to carry out prototype projects under section 2371b or any other section of this title related to prototyping.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2258.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 806(a)(2) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2447a of this title.

§2447d. Mechanisms to speed deployment of successful weapon system component or technology prototypes

(a) Selection of Prototype Project for Production and Rapid Fielding.—A weapon system component or technology prototype project may be selected by the service acquisition executive of the military department concerned for a follow-on production contract or other transaction without the use of competitive procedures, notwithstanding the requirements of section 2304 of this title, if—

(1) the follow-on production project addresses a high priority warfighter need or reduces the costs of a weapon system;

(2) competitive procedures were used for the selection of parties for participation in the original prototype project;

(3) the participants in the original prototype project successfully completed the requirements of the project; and

(4) a prototype of the system to be procured was demonstrated in a relevant environment.

(b) Special Transfer Authority.—(1) The Secretary of a military department may, as specified in advance by appropriations Acts, transfer funds that remain available for obligation in procurement appropriation accounts of the military department to fund the low-rate initial production of the rapid fielding project until required funding for full-rate production can be submitted and approved through the regular budget process of the Department of Defense.

(2) The funds transferred under this subsection to fund the low-rate initial production of a rapid fielding project shall be for a period not to exceed two years, the amount for such period may not exceed $50,000,000, and the special transfer authority provided in this subsection may not be used more than once to fund procurement of a particular new or upgraded system.

(3) The special transfer authority provided in this subsection is in addition to any other transfer authority available to the Department of Defense.

(c) Notification to Congress.—Within 30 days after the service acquisition executive of a military department selects a weapon system component or technology project for a follow-on production contract or other transaction, the service acquisition executive shall notify the congressional defense committees of the selection and provide a brief description of the rapid fielding project.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2259.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 806(a)(2) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2447a of this title.

§2447e. Definition of weapon system component

In this subchapter, the term "weapon system component" has the meaning given the term "major system component" in section 2446a of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §806(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2259.)

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 2017, see section 806(a)(2) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2447a of this title.

SUBCHAPTER III—COST, SCHEDULE, AND PERFORMANCE OF MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS

§2448a. Program cost, fielding, and performance goals in planning major defense acquisition programs

(a) Program Cost and Fielding Targets.—(1) Before funds are obligated for technology development, systems development, or production of a major defense acquisition program, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure, by establishing the goals described in paragraph (2), that the milestone decision authority for the major defense acquisition program approves a program that will—

(A) be affordable;

(B) incorporate program planning that anticipates the evolution of capabilities to meet changing threats, technology insertion, and interoperability; and

(C) be fielded when needed.

(2) The goals described in this paragraph are goals for—

(A) the procurement unit cost and sustainment cost (referred to in this section as the "program cost targets");

(B) the date for initial operational capability (referred to in this section as the "fielding target"); and

(C) technology maturation, prototyping, and a modular open system approach to evolve system capabilities and improve interoperability.

(b) Delegation.—The responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense in subsection (a) may be delegated only to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

(c) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term "procurement unit cost" has the meaning provided in section 2432(a)(2) of this title.

(2) The term "initial capabilities document" has the meaning provided in section 2366a(d)(2) of this title.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §807(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2260.)

Effective Date

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §807(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2261, provided that: "Subchapter III of chapter 144B of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply with respect to major defense acquisition programs that reach Milestone A after October 1, 2017."

Program Cost and Field Targets

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, §925(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2361, provided that: "The Secretary of Defense shall establish a process to develop program cost and fielding targets pursuant to section 2448a of title 10, United States Code, that—

"(1) is co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;

"(2) is supported by—

"(A) the Joint Staff, to provide expertise on joint military capabilities, capability gaps, and performance requirements;

"(B) the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, to provide expertise in resource allocation, operations research, systems analysis, and cost estimation; and

"(C) other Department of Defense organizations determined appropriate by the Secretary; and

"(3) ensures that appropriate trade-offs are made among life-cycle cost, schedule, and performance objectives and procurement quantity objectives."

§2448b. Independent technical risk assessments

(a) In General.—With respect to a major defense acquisition program, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that an independent technical risk assessment is conducted—

(1) before any decision to grant Milestone A approval for the program pursuant to section 2366a of this title, that identifies critical technologies and manufacturing processes that need to be matured; and

(2) before any decision to grant Milestone B approval for the program pursuant to section 2366b of this title, any decision to enter into low-rate initial production or full-rate production, or at any other time considered appropriate by the Secretary, that includes the identification of any critical technologies or manufacturing processes that have not been successfully demonstrated in a relevant environment.

(b) Categorization of Technical Risk Levels.—The Secretary shall issue guidance and a framework for categorizing the degree of technical and manufacturing risk in a major defense acquisition program.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VIII, §807(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2261.)

Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to major defense acquisition programs that reach Milestone A after Oct. 1, 2017, see section 807(a)(2) of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 2448a of this title.