Helicopter support for Kwajalein Atoll and Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands

(a) Provision of rotary wing assets Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall ensure that a sufficient quantity of rotary wing assets, including air and maintenance crews, spares and support equipment, and any other mission critical personnel or material, necessary to support all planned test events, installation maintenance requirements, and personnel movement or evacuation contingencies are located on Kwajalein Atoll and available for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands. (b) Requirement fulfillment options To implement the requirements under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army may— (1) consistent with section 2571 of title 10, United States Code, coordinate with the Secretary of the Air Force to obtain excess UH–1N Huey light-lift utility helicopters and any associated spares and equipment from Air Force Global Strike Command as the Air Force divests those aircraft in support of its transition to the MH–139 Grey Wolf; (2) obtain new or excess UH–72 Lakota light utility helicopters and any associated spares and equipment from the Army Aviation Center of Excellence as the Army transitions those aircraft in from the training fleet; or (3) obtain rotary wing assets for the purposes described in subsection (a) via other means, if— (A) such assets fulfill the capability and timeline availability requirements described in such subsection; and (B) the Secretary of the Army provides a written certification to the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days prior to the end of the 90-day period specified in such subsection of the intent of the Secretary to pursue such other means and that such means will fulfill the requirements of such subsection. (c) Long term capability sustainment plan (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan outlining the enduring approach of the Army to providing rotary wing assets for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands. (2) Elements The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (A) An identification of the rotary wing assets to be made available over the next 5, 10, and 15 years. (B) An initial acquisition strategy for any assets not already in the inventory of the Army, as applicable. (C) A detailed lifecycle sustainment plan for any rotary wing assets provided for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands. (D) A projection of anticipated costs over the upcoming future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code, for providing the capabilities described in subsection (a). (E) Such other matters or recommendations as the Secretary of the Army considers relevant.