Limitation on retirement of Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems

(a) Prohibition Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of the Army may not retire, divest, or otherwise take any action that would— (1) reduce the number, configuration, or capability of any MQ–1C Gray Eagle Extended Range unmanned aircraft system that is in the Army inventory as of the date of the enactment of this Act; or (2) prevent the Army from maintaining such systems in the current or improved configurations and capabilities of such systems. (b) Exception The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply if the Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council submits to the appropriate congressional committees a written certification that— (1) a capability of equal or greater effectiveness will be fielded and operational prior to, or concurrently with, the retirement of any MQ–1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system; and (2) such retirement will not result in a reduction in the overall capacity available to the commanders of the combatant commands. (c) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (1) the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code); and (2) the congressional intelligence committees (as defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003)).