Sec. 1286. Establishment of United States-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group
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It is the sense of the Senate that— the United States Government has a responsibility to undertake all reasonable measures to ensure that members of the Armed Forces never confront a more technologically advanced foe; the United States and Israel have several cooperative technology programs to develop and field capabilities in missile defense, countertunneling, and counterunmanned aerial systems; and building on positive ongoing efforts, the United States and Israel should further institutionalize and strengthen their defense innovation partnership by establishing a United States-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group to identify and expeditiously field capabilities that the military forces of both countries need to deter and defeat respective adversaries.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Minister of Defense of Israel, shall establish a United States-Israel Operations-Technology Working Group (in this subsection referred to as the Working Group ) for the following purposes: To provide a standing forum for the United States and Israel to systematically share intelligence-informed military capability requirements. To identify military capability requirements common to both the Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of Israel.
To assist defense suppliers in the United States and Israel, by incorporating recommendations from such defense suppliers, with respect to conducting joint science, technology, research, development, test, evaluation, and production efforts. To develop, as feasible and advisable, combined United States-Israel plans to research, develop, procure, and field weapons systems and military capabilities as quickly and economically as possible to meet common capability requirements of the Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of Israel.
With respect to the United States, the Working Group shall be headed by— the Secretary, or a designee; and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or a designee. The Secretary shall invite the Government of Israel to designate the head of the appropriate office or offices to head the Working Group with respect to Israel. The Secretary, in consultation with other Cabinet members, shall designate one or more individuals to serve as members of the Working Group. The membership of the Working Group shall consist of, at a minimum, representatives from— the Office of the Secretary of Defense; the Joint Staff; each of the military departments (including, as appropriate, subordinate entities such as Army Futures Command and research laboratories); the defense agencies (including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency);
United States Central Command; and United States European Command. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed as limiting the ability of the Secretary to add members to the Working Group, as considered appropriate. The Secretary shall invite such representatives of the Government of Israel to designate individuals from the Government of Israel to serve as members of the Working Group, as the Secretary considers appropriate. The Secretary shall determine the most efficient and effective means to integrate the Working Group into existing United States science and technology efforts and research, development, test, and evaluation efforts with Israel.
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring the termination of any existing United States defense activity, group, program, or partnership with Israel. The Secretary shall, with the concurrence of the Minister of Defense of Israel, establish a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Israel establishing the United States-Israel Operations Technology Working Group. The memorandum of understanding under subparagraph
(A)shall set forth— the purposes of the Working Group, consistent with paragraph (1); the membership of the Working Group, consistent with paragraph (3); and any other matter considered appropriate. Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the Working Group, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an initial report on the Working Group. The report required by clause
(i)shall include the following: The finalized memorandum of understanding under paragraph (5). The name of each individual of the Government of the United States and of the Government of Israel designated to lead the Working Group. The name of each member of the Working Group designated under subparagraph
(A)or
(B)of paragraph (3). A description of the manner in which the Working Group is anticipated to complement and augment existing science and technology efforts and research, development, test, and evaluation efforts with Israel. A schedule for Working Group meetings. A description of key metrics and milestones for the Working Group. A description of any authority or authorization of appropriations required for the Working Group to carry out the purposes described in paragraph (1). The report required by clause
(i)shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. Not later than March 15 of each year following the submittal of the initial report required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the activities of the Working Group during the preceding calendar year. The report required by clause
(i)shall include the following: A summary of the performance of the Working Group— with respect to the first annual report under this subparagraph, the metrics and milestones described in the initial report in accordance with subparagraph (A)(ii)(VI); or with respect to each subsequent annual report under this subparagraph, the metrics and milestones described in the preceding annual report under subclause (VIII). A description of military capabilities needed by both the United States and Israel. A description of any United States, or any United States-Israel, science and technology efforts, or research, development, test, and evaluation efforts, associated with the military capabilities described under subclause
(II)carried out during the reporting period. A description of any obstacle or challenge associated with an effort described in subclause
(III)and the plan of the Working Group to address such obstacle or challenge. A description of any request to the Working Group made by a United States or Israel defense supplier for combined science and technology efforts or combined research, development, test, and evaluation efforts, including— the date on which the request was received; the efforts made by the Working Group to expeditiously address the request; and the status of any decision associated with the request. A description of the efforts of the Working Group to prevent the People's Republic of China or the Russian Federation from obtaining intellectual property or military technology associated with combined United States and Israel science and technology efforts and research, development, test, and evaluation efforts. A description of any science and technology effort, or research, development, test, or evaluation effort, facilitated by the Working Group, including efforts that result in a United States or Israel program of record. A description of metrics and milestones for the Working Group for the following calendar year. Each report required by clause
(i)shall be submitted in unclassified form and shall include a classified annex in which the elements required under subclauses
(II)and
(VI)of clause
(ii)shall be addressed. In this paragraph, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.