Design and construction of missile instrumentation range safety vessels

(a) Vessel construction (1) Completion of design Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, shall complete the design of missile instrumentation range safety vessels for the National Defense Reserve Fleet to allow for the construction of such vessels to begin in fiscal year 2027. (2) Agreement with vessel construction manager Notwithstanding section 8679 of title 10, United States Code, and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Transportation, in consultation with the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, shall seek to enter into an agreement with an appropriate vessel construction manager under which the vessel construction manager shall enter into a contract for the construction of not more than two such vessels in accordance with this section. (3) Design standards and construction practices Subject to paragraph (2), a vessel constructed pursuant to this section shall be constructed using commercial design standards and commercial construction practices that are consistent with the best interests of the Federal Government. (b) Consultation with other Federal entities The Secretary of Transportation shall consult and coordinate with the Director of the Missile Defense Agency and may consult with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies regarding the vessel referred to in subsection (a) and activities associated with such vessel. (c) Prohibition on use of funds for used vessels None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available to carry out this section may be used for the procurement of any used vessel. (d) Missile Defense Agency transfer authority The Director of the Missile Defense Agency may transfer amounts authorized to be appropriated for the Missile Defense Agency for research, development, test, and evaluation to the Secretary of Transportation, to be used for the purposes authorized by this section. Any amount transferred pursuant to this subsection shall retain its original period of availability.