Sec. 1078. Report on independent assessment of the force structure of the Armed Forces to meet the national defense strategy
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The Secretary of Defense shall, as provided in subsection (d), submit to Congress a report setting forth an assessment, obtained by the Secretary from an organization independent of the Department of Defense, of the adequacy and sufficiency of the force structure of the Armed Forces to meet future threats to the United States. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall contract with an organization independent of the Department for the review required pursuant to subsection (a).
The entity with which the Secretary contracts under this subsection shall be an organization that has— recognized credentials and expertise in national security and military affairs; and access to policy experts throughout the United States. The report under subsection
(a)shall include the following: An identification and assessment of the threats to the United States from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, global terrorism, and other sources. A description of potential conflicts arising from the threats identified pursuant to paragraph
(1)and the proposed responses of the Department and the Armed Forces to meet such threats, including the concepts of operations, the end states desired, the timelines required, the availability of host nation and allied support, the use of weapons of mass destruction, the anticipated duration of the conflicts, and the need, if any, for post-hostilities stabilization operations. An identification and assessment of the forces, warfighting systems, acquisition programs, and associated personnel strengths required to execute such responses at moderate risk, including the demands of simultaneous or nearly simultaneous conflicts in connection with such threats and ongoing global commitments, with such strengths to include strengths for the regular and reserve components of each Armed Force, for the United States Special Operations Command, and for Government civilian and operational contractor personnel. An identification and assessment of the funding required to build and sustain the forces, warfighting systems, acquisition programs, and personnel identified pursuant to paragraph (3). A comparison of the forces, warfighting systems, acquisition programs, manpower, and funding identified pursuant to paragraphs
(3)and
(4)with the forces, warfighting systems, acquisition programs, manpower, and funding planned in the future-years defense program for fiscal year 2017, as amended by any announced changes. An assessment of the ability of the forces planned in the future-years defense program for fiscal year 2017 to meet the day-to-day requirements of the commanders of the combatant commands for forward deployments, forward stationing (such as in Korea, Japan, and Europe), crisis response (such as Freedom of Navigation operations), humanitarian assistance and disaster response, no-fly zones, evacuation operations, peacekeeping, counterterrorism, operations in Iraq (Operation Inherent Resolve) and Afghanistan (Operation Resolute Support), allied and partner engagement, and homeland security (including missile defense), including a specification of appropriate dwell times for forces and members of the Armed Forces, an assessment of the ability of the Armed Forces to meet such specified dwell times, and a specification of the readiness levels needed for deployed and nondeployed forces. Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary enters into the contract described in subsection (b)(1), the organization with which the Secretary contracts shall submit to the Secretary a report containing the results of the review required pursuant to subsection (a). The organization shall provide the Secretary such interim briefings as the Secretary considers appropriate to assist the Department in the preparation of the national defense strategy required by section 118 of title 10, United States Code (as amended by section 1096 of this Act), and the quadrennial roles and missions review required by section 118b of such title. Not later than 90 days after the date of the receipt of the report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall transmit the report to the congressional defense committees, together with any comments on the report that the Secretary considers appropriate. The report and such comments shall be transmitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.