Sec. 1656. Development and research of non-terrestrial missile defense layer
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Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, with the support of federally funded research and development centers with subject matter expertise, shall commence the planning for concept definition, design, research, development, engineering evaluation, and test of a space-based ballistic missile intercept and defeat layer to the ballistic missile defense system that— shall provide defense options to ballistic missiles and re-entry vehicles, independent of adversary country size and threat trajectory; and may provide a boost-phase missile defense capability, as well as additional defensive options against direct ascent anti-satellite weapons, hypersonic boost glide vehicles, and maneuvering re-entry vehicles.
The planning activities authorized under paragraph
(1)shall include, at a minimum, the following: The initiation of formal steps for potential integration into the ballistic missile defense system architecture. Mature planning for early proof of concept component demonstrations. Draft operation concepts in the context of a multi-layer architecture. Identification of proof of concept vendor sources for demo components and subassemblies. The development of multi-year technology and risk reduction investment plan. The commencement of the development of a proof of concept master program phasing schedule. Identification of proof of concept long lead items. Initiation of requests for proposals from industry with significant commercial, civil, and national security space experience, including for space launch services. Mature options for an aggressive but low-risk acquisition strategy. Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall commence planning for research, development, test, and evaluation activities with respect to a space test bed for a missile interceptor capability. The Director shall submit with the budget of the President submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, for fiscal year 2018 a detailed budget and development plan, irrespective of planned budgetary total obligation authority, for the activities described in subsections
(a)and (b), assuming initial demonstration, on-orbit, of such the capabilities described in such subsections by 2025.