Sec. 5. Hypersonics

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It is the sense of Congress that the Nation’s understanding of hypersonic technologies and weapons will play an increasingly important role in our national security. Maintaining United States preeminence in hypersonics research and development is key to our military’s ability to project power and defend the homeland as our adversaries also seek to develop hypersonic capabilities. It is the policy of the United States to maintain a clear and consistent commitment to a disciplined research, development, and testing strategy to bring hypersonic technology to maturity on a schedule that sustains the United States strategic military edge.

Section 218 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 ( Public Law 109–364 ; 10 U.S.C. 2358 note), as most recently amended by section 1079(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 ( Public Law 114–192 ; 129 Stat. 999), is amended by striking subsections

(c)through

(e)and inserting the following: In carrying out the program required by subsection (b), the joint technology office established under subsection

(a)shall do the following: Coordinate and integrate current and future research, development, test, and evaluation programs and system demonstration programs of the Department of Defense on hypersonics. Undertake appropriate actions to ensure— close and continuous integration of the programs on hypersonics of the military departments with the programs on hypersonics across the Federal Government; and that both foundational research and developmental testing resources are adequate and robustly funded, and that facilities are made available in a timely manner to support hypersonics research, demonstration programs, and system development. Approve demonstration programs on hypersonic systems to speed operational applications. Ensure that any demonstration program on hypersonic systems that is carried out in any year after its approval under paragraph

(3)is carried out only if certified under subsection

(e)as being consistent with the roadmap under subsection (d). Develop a well-defined path for hypersonic technologies to transition to operational capabilities for the warfighter. The joint technology office established under subsection

(a)shall develop and maintain a roadmap for the hypersonics programs of the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that all elements of the roadmap are updated to reflect changes in national hypersonics assessments and needs not less than once every two years. The roadmap shall be developed and updated under paragraph

(1)in coordination with— the Joint Staff; the National Security Council; the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; and the Director of National Intelligence. The roadmap shall include the following matters: Anticipated or potential mission requirements for offensive hypersonics systems and defenses against hypersonics systems of potential adversaries. Short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals for Department of Defense hypersonics, which shall be consistent with the missions and anticipated requirements of the Department over the applicable period. A schedule for meeting such goals, including— the activities and funding anticipated to be required for meeting such goals; and the activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to be leveraged by the Department of Defense to meet such goals. The research, development, test, and evaluation facilities required to support the activities identified in subparagraph (C), along with the schedule and funding required to upgrade those facilities, as necessary. Recommendations on the programmatic resources necessary for each agency to advance the collective goals and priorities of the roadmap in an efficient, sustained manner. Recommendations to transition hypersonic science and technology to operational capabilities for the warfighter. Acquisition transition plans for hypersonics. The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees— at the same time as the submittal to Congress of the budget for fiscal year 2018 (as submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code), the roadmap developed under paragraph (1); and at the same time as the submittal to Congress of the budget for each even-numbered fiscal year after 2018, the roadmap updated under paragraph (1). The joint technology office established under subsection

(a)shall conduct, on an annual basis, a review of— the funding available for research, development, test, and evaluation programs and demonstration programs within the Department of Defense for hypersonics, in order to determine whether or not such funding is consistent with the roadmap developed under subsection (d); and the hypersonics demonstration programs of the Department of Defense, in order to determine whether or not such programs avoid duplication of effort and support the goals of the Department in a manner consistent with the roadmap developed under subsection (d). The joint technology office established under subsection

(a)shall, as a result of each review under paragraph (1), certify to the Secretary of Defense whether or not the funding and programs subject to such review are consistent with the roadmap developed under subsection (d). The requirements of this subsection shall terminate after the submittal to Congress of the budget for fiscal year 2021 pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code. If, as a result of a review under subsection (e), funding or a program on hypersonics is certified under that subsection not to be consistent with the roadmap developed under subsection (d), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees, at the same time as the submittal to Congress of the budget (as submitted pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code), a report on such funding or program, as the case may be, describing how such funding or program is not consistent with the roadmap, together with a statement of the actions to be taken by the Department of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall appoint an individual who is a recognized authority in the field of hypersonics to serve as the Director of the joint technology office established under subsection (a). The Director shall serve as the head of the office and as the principal adviser to the Office of the Secretary of Defense on all matters related to hypersonics, reporting directly to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Secretary of Defense shall fix the compensation of the Director and shall appoint and fix the compensation of such other personnel as may be necessary to enable the joint technology office established under subsection

(a)to carry out its functions. . The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the National Science and Technology Council, shall ensure that Federal hypersonics research, development, testing, and evaluation activities are coordinated and executed pursuant to a disciplined investment plan. In doing so, the Director shall— develop and maintain a strategic plan to advance the United States hypersonics research, development, test and evaluation goals in an efficient, sustained manner; identify test and evaluation infrastructure critical to hypersonics research, development, testing, and evaluation and make recommendations to the President for upgrading those facilities as necessary; promote policies for a robust hypersonics workforce; and encourage Federal agencies conducting hypersonics research, development, testing, and evaluation to develop and promote policies that sustain their respective agencies’ efforts in implementing the coordinated Federal hypersonics agenda. The Secretary of the Air Force shall consider findings from all Federal research, development, and demonstration projects that relate to hypersonics in making and executing acquisition plans for the Air Force. Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, NASA shall transmit to Congress a report that— collects broad civilian input identifying benefits to the private sector and universities from NASA support for precompetitive hypersonics science; and contains a list of proposed research and technology investments, prioritized on the basis of the national interest that will be served, potential economic impact, and cost of each such technology investment proposal. In order to build and prepare the workforce for hypersonics development, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Office of Naval Research, and the appropriate Department of the Army science and technology entities, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the National Science and Technology Council, shall expand, intensify, and coordinate programs and activities with research institutions to strengthen their capabilities for research and development of hypersonics technology and related education and training. To carry out subparagraph (A), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Office of Naval Research, and the appropriate Department of the Army science and technology entities may make grants to research institutions. Each such grant shall be for a period of not to exceed 3 years, and may be extended for one or more additional periods not exceeding 3 years if— the recipient’s program has been reviewed and approved by an appropriate technical and scientific peer review group established by the Director of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Office of Naval Research, or the appropriate Department of the Army science and technology entity; and such group has recommended to the appropriate Director that such grant period should be extended. Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the National Science and Technology Council, shall recommend to the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Office of Naval Research, and the appropriate Department of the Army science and technology entities a series of hypersonics technology prototype projects to be completed over the next 2–5 years that meet research objectives specified in the joint technology office hypersonics roadmap developed under section 218(d) of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, as added by subsection

(c)of this section or the civilian hypersonics report transmitted under subsection (f).

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