Demonstration of near real-time monitoring capabilities to enhance weapon system platforms

(a) Program establishment Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the chiefs of the Armed Forces, shall carry out a program to equip selected weapon system platforms with onboard, near real-time, end-to-end serial bus and radio frequency monitoring capabilities to ensure continuous operational oversight and cybersecurity health and resiliency. (b) Phases The Secretary of Defense shall implement the program 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 3 and not more than 5 weapon system platform fleets for initial participation in the program, prioritizing the MH–60R and MQ–9 aircraft fleets; 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. (3) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations— (A) select not fewer than 3 and not more than 5 weapon system platform fleets, in addition to those selected under paragraph (1), for participation in the program, prioritizing platforms that demonstrate the highest potential for cybersecurity improvement and operational readiness gains based on program data analysis; and (B) complete initial deployment of monitoring capabilities to such additional platforms. (4) Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a comprehensive evaluation of the monitoring capabilities demonstrated under the program, including cybersecurity effectiveness, potential applicability of data to maintenance improvements, and development of scalability recommendations for potential Department-wide implementation. (c) Data collection and analysis (1) Chiefs of the armed forces requirements Each chief of an Armed Force with a weapon system platform participating in the program under subsection (a) shall collect and provide to the Secretary of Defense data regarding the platform and the monitoring capabilities demonstrated under the program, including data on— (A) cyber threat detection effectiveness; (B) maintenance efficiency improvements; (C) safety incident investigation and predictive maintenance accuracy; (D) operational readiness and mission capable rates improvements; and (E) interoperability and data sharing capabilities across platforms and services. (2) Departmental analysis The Secretary shall analyze the data provided under paragraph (1) to assess— (A) integration challenges and suggestions for overcoming such challenges in a future Department-wide program; (B) scalability requirements for broader Department-wide implementation; and (C) novel approaches for utilizing existing resources in an austere fiscal environment to expand capabilities across the Department. (d) Budget integration In the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of Defense budget for fiscal year 2028 (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31), the Secretary of Defense shall include proposed funding levels for the program expansion authorized under subsection (b)(3). (e) Reporting requirements Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the program. Each report shall include, with respect to the period covered by the report— (1) implementation plans for the program; (2) identification of the weapon system platforms selected for participation in the program; and (3) analysis of any data collected under the program.

(a) Program establishment Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the chiefs of the Armed Forces, shall carry out a program to equip selected weapon system platforms with onboard, near real-time, end-to-end serial bus and radio frequency monitoring capabilities to ensure continuous operational oversight and cybersecurity health and resiliency. (b) Phases The Secretary of Defense shall implement the program 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 3 and not more than 5 weapon system platform fleets for initial participation in the program, prioritizing the MH–60R and MQ–9 aircraft fleets; 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. (3) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations— (A) select not fewer than 3 and not more than 5 weapon system platform fleets, in addition to those selected under paragraph (1), for participation in the program, prioritizing platforms that demonstrate the highest potential for cybersecurity improvement and operational readiness gains based on program data analysis; and (B) complete initial deployment of monitoring capabilities to such additional platforms. (4) Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete a comprehensive evaluation of the monitoring capabilities demonstrated under the program, including cybersecurity effectiveness, potential applicability of data to maintenance improvements, and development of scalability recommendations for potential Department-wide implementation. (c) Data collection and analysis (1) Chiefs of the armed forces requirements Each chief of an Armed Force with a weapon system platform participating in the program under subsection (a) shall collect and provide to the Secretary of Defense data regarding the platform and the monitoring capabilities demonstrated under the program, including data on— (A) cyber threat detection effectiveness; (B) maintenance efficiency improvements; (C) safety incident investigation and predictive maintenance accuracy; (D) operational readiness and mission capable rates improvements; and (E) interoperability and data sharing capabilities across platforms and services. (2) Departmental analysis The Secretary shall analyze the data provided under paragraph (1) to assess— (A) integration challenges and suggestions for overcoming such challenges in a future Department-wide program; (B) scalability requirements for broader Department-wide implementation; and (C) novel approaches for utilizing existing resources in an austere fiscal environment to expand capabilities across the Department. (d) AI inventory system In conjunction with the activities required under this section, the Secretary of Defense may develop and implement an artificial intelligence capability to create up-to-date and accurate records of the weapons inventory of the Department of Defense. (e) Budget integration In the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of Defense budget for fiscal year 2028 (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31), the Secretary of Defense shall include proposed funding levels for the program expansion authorized under subsection (b)(3). (f) Reporting requirements Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for each of the following five years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the program. Each report shall include, with respect to the period covered by the report— (1) implementation plans for the program; (2) identification of the weapon system platforms selected for participation in the program; and (3) analysis of any data collected under the program.