Activities for evaluating integration and interoperability of technologies for subterranean operations

(a) Requirement The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army and the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command, shall conduct recurring evaluation activities in subterranean environments for the purpose of assessing the integration and interoperability of technologies supporting operations in such environments, including in conditions involving the denial or degradation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) or other contested communications conditions. (b) Activities Activities conducted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the evaluation of technologies supporting sensing, mapping, navigation, communications, command and control, and situational awareness across multiple operational systems and platforms in the denied, degraded, and contested conditions described in subsection (a). (c) Use of existing resources In carrying out this section, the Secretary of Defense shall use existing facilities, authorities, training activities, and amounts appropriated or otherwise available for the Department of Defense for such purpose. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the construction of a new facility or the establishment of a new program office or standalone training activity. (d) Briefing Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing describing— (1) the activities conducted pursuant to subsection (a); (2) any operational integration or interoperability challenge identified in the course of conducting such activities; and (3) recommendations for improving the integration and interoperability of technologies supporting subterranean operations in denied, degraded, and contested communications environments, including with respect to potential transition pathways for such technologies.