Requirement to ensure sufficiency of naval mine inventory

(a) Requirement To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that the inventory of naval mines of the Department of the Navy is sufficient to meet validated operational requirements for not fewer than two simultaneous major regional contingencies. (b) Annual certification (1) Submission Not later than March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a certification that includes the following: (A) A determination of whether the requirement under subsection (a) is met. (B) If the requirement under subsection (a) is not met— (i) a description of the shortfall in the inventory referred to in such subsection; and (ii) a remediation plan, including timelines and funding requirements, to achieve compliance with such requirement. (2) Form Each certification required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.