Improvements to air and missile defense acquisition

(a) Assessment of air and missile defense systems and interceptors (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State— (A) complete an assessment of United States Armed Forces and foreign specified partner air and missile defense systems and interceptors in the area of responsibility of the United States Central Command; and (B) submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the Secretary with respect to the assessment completed under subparagraph (A). (2) Contents The report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1)(B) shall include the following: (A) A description of current air and missile defense systems and interceptors used by United States Central Command and foreign specified partners to defend against attacks. (B) An analysis of current inventories and production rates of air and missile defense systems and interceptors produced by the United States and foreign specified partners. (C) An assessment of the number of air and missile defense systems deployed and interceptors expended to defend against attacks within the area of responsibility of the United States Central Command since October 7, 2023, disaggregated by— (i) the United States; and (ii) foreign specified partners. (D) An assessment of the air and missile defense systems within the area of the responsibility of the United States Central Command that have been damaged or destroyed in attacks since October 7, 2023. (E) An assessment of the air and missile defense systems and interceptors developed and produced by the United States for which the United States defense industry cannot fulfill the orders placed by foreign specified partners so as to necessitate acquisition from other sources. (b) Strategy (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy to facilitate additional cooperation with foreign specified partners to further integrate air and missile defense systems and to implement an interceptor acquisition strategy to defend United States nationals and assets and foreign specified partners from attacks. (2) Elements The strategy submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) A description of current efforts by the Secretary of Defense to engage foreign specified partners to prioritize air and missile defense needs, including further coordination— (i) to replenish interceptor stock supplies; (ii) to facilitate the transfer and delivery of air and missile defense systems from the United States to foreign specified partners; and (iii) to increase air and missile defense system and interceptor supply bases located within the area of responsibility of United States Central Command. (B) An assessment of the feasibility and cost of creating an air and missile defense system and interceptor stockpile located within the area of responsibly of United States Central Command to be exclusively used by— (i) the United States; and (ii) foreign specified partners. (C) An assessment of the feasibility of establishing joint ventures, licensing agreements, and co-production and manufacturing partnerships between the United States and foreign specified partners to accelerate the production of air and missile defense systems and interceptors. (D) An identification of steps that can be taken to accelerate the joint research, development, acquisition, and transfer of alternative or lower-cost interceptor solutions, and complementary air and missile defense capabilities between the United States and foreign specified partners, and the co-production of interceptors in the United States, where feasible. (E) An analysis of the legal, economic, and defense policy aspects of a closer air and missile defense acquisition partnership between the United States and foreign specified partners. (F) An analysis of lessons learned from air defense efforts in regional theaters, including Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa, the Caucasus, and the Horn of Africa. (3) Protection of sensitive information The strategy and plan submitted under paragraph (1) shall provide that any activity carried out pursuant to the strategy and plan is conducted in a manner that is consistent with protection of intelligence sources and methods and appropriately protects sensitive information and the national security interests of the United States. (4) Form The strategy submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term air and missile defense systems means air and missile defense articles, unmanned aerial defense articles, rocket defense articles, and non-kinetic articles, and all of their component parts, including command and control centers, sensors, radars, and launchers. (2) The term attacks means missile, manned and unmanned aerial system, and rocket attacks from Iran and armed groups linked to Iran. (3) The term foreign specified partners means allies and partners in the area of responsibility of the United States Central Command. (4) The term interceptors means air and missile, unmanned aerial, non-kinetic payloads, and rocket defense articles designed to detect, track, and destroy incoming missiles, manned and unmanned aerial systems, and rockets.