Sec. 1689. Sense of Congress and plan for development of space-based sensor layer for ballistic missile defense
474 words·~2 min read·
/bill/115/hr/2810/pcs/section-1689·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the defense of the homeland, the deployed members of the Armed Forces, and the allies of the United States against the threat of attack by ballistic and hypersonic missiles is the highest priority of the Missile Defense Agency; the Missile Defense Agency, and the Defense Agencies and combat support agencies, must prioritize the design, development, and deployment of the space-based missile defense sensor layer; a space-based missile defense sensor layer is essential for the future of the missile defense of the homeland, the deployed members of the Armed Forces, and the allies of the United States; and such a space-based layer can, and should, benefit a multitude of other important defense and intelligence requirements, including targeting and space situational awareness.
After the date on which the Director of the Missile Defense Agency submits the plan under subsection (c), the Director, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force and the heads of the Defense Agencies and combat support agencies that the Director determines appropriate, shall develop a space-based ballistic missile defense sensor layer that— provides missile defense engagement quality precision tracking data of the United States beginning in the boost phase and continuing throughout subsequent flight regimes; and serves other defense and intelligence requirements for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including targeting and space situational awareness; and achieves an operational prototype payload at the earliest practicable date.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan that includes— how the Director will carry out subsection (b), including with respect to the estimated costs— for the operational prototype payload specified in paragraph
(3)of such subsection; and to develop, acquire, and deploy, and the lifecycle costs to operate and sustain, a space-based sensor layer and support systems to provide global missile defense coverage; an assessment of the maturity of critical technologies necessary to make operational such a space-based sensor layer, and recommendations for any research and development activities to rapidly mature such technologies; an assessment of what capabilities such a space-based sensor layer can contribute that other sensor layers do not contribute; how the Director will leverage the use of national technical means, commercially available space and terrestrial capabilities, hosted payloads, small satellites, and other capabilities to carry out subsection (b); and any other matters the Director determines appropriate. In this section: The term appropriate congressional committees means— the congressional defense committees; and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives. The term combat support agency has the meaning given that term in section 193(f) of title 10, United States Code. The term Defense Agency has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(11) of title 10, United States Code.