Strategy to address intelligence-gathering shortcomings in area of responsibility of United States Africa command

(a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commander of the United States Africa Command, in consultation with the head of any other relevant Federal agency, as appropriate, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy to address intelligence gathering shortcomings in the area of responsibility of the United States Africa Command. (b) Elements (1) Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture With respect to the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture, the strategy required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (A) An assessment of the scope, coverage, and operational tempo of existing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets and activities in the area of responsibility of the United States Africa Command. (B) A description of the manner in which the United States Africa Command could further develop an integrated, multi-layered intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture in such area of responsibility. (C) A description of the manner in which the United States Africa Command can incorporate emerging technologies into the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture, including— (i) artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools for the automated processing, exploitation, and dissemination of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data; (ii) language recognition software and natural language processing tools capable of monitoring, transcribing, and analyzing communications in regional languages and dialects; and (iii) other emerging technologies that the Commander of the United States Africa Command determines could improve the speed, accuracy, or coverage of activities conducted by the United States Africa Command in such area of responsibility. (D) A description of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance cooperation and information-sharing arrangements with partner countries and allied forces in such area of responsibility, including an analysis of the extent to which partner country capabilities may be integrated into the United States intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture. (E) An identification of capability gaps, resource shortfalls, or authority limitations that constrain the ability of the United States Africa Command to establish and sustain a persistent, meshed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance architecture in the area of operation, and recommendations for addressing such gaps. (2) Information campaign With respect to information campaigns carried out by the United States African Command, the strategy required by subsection (a) shall include the following, which the Secretary of Defense shall develop in consultation with the Secretary of State: (A) A description of the current information environment in the area of responsibility of the United States Africa Command, including— (i) an identification of the means and mechanisms through which violent extremist organizations, near-peer competitors, and any other actors of concern to the United States Africa Command disseminate propaganda, recruit members, and foment instability in such area of responsibility; (ii) an assessment of the relative effectiveness of violent extremist organization information operations in such area of responsibility and the populations most vulnerable to such influence; and (iii) an assessment of the relative effectiveness of information operations conducted by other state and non-state actors in such area of responsibility and the populations most vulnerable to such influence. (B) A description of current and planned information campaigns and military information support operations of the United States Africa Command in such area of responsibility, including— (i) activities conducted through digital means, including social media engagement, counter-narrative campaigns, and efforts to disrupt or degrade adversary and competitor online presence and propaganda distribution networks; (ii) activities conducted through traditional means, including radio broadcasts, print media, community engagement, and support to trusted local voices and civil society organizations; (iii) efforts to coordinate and synchronize digital and traditional information activities into a consistent, persistent, and regionally coherent campaign; (iv) an identification of main information campaign themes and an assessment of the effectiveness of current information campaign activities, including metrics used to measure such effectiveness; and (v) an identification of gaps, resource shortfalls, or authority limitations that constrain the ability of the United States Africa Command to sustain consistent and effective information campaigns, and recommendations for addressing such gaps.