Sec. 1688. Indo-Pacific missile strategy
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Congress makes the following findings: The 2022 National Defense Strategy states: The [People’s Republic of China (PRC)] has expanded and modernized nearly every aspect of the [People’s Liberation Army (PLA)], with a focus on offsetting U.S. military advantages. The PRC is therefore the pacing challenge for the Department. . The 2020 report of the Department of Defense entitled Annual Report to Congress Involving the People’s Republic of China states: Land-based conventional ballistic and cruise missiles:
The PRC has more than 1,250 ground-launched ballistic missiles (GLBMs) and ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCMs) with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. The United States currently fields one type of conventional GLBM with a range of 70 to 300 kilometers and no GLCMs. . In September 2021, the United States entered a security partnership with the United Kingdom and Australia (commonly known as AUKUS ). In April 2022, AUKUS leaders committed to commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonic technologies, counter-hypersonic defense systems, and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as to deepen cooperation on defense innovation. .
It is the sense of Congress that— United States ground-based theater-range conventional missile systems in the Indo-Pacific region provide operational and strategy utility in— availability of persistent, prompt, and survivable strike options; deterrence of enemy attack or escalation; imposition of operational costs on enemy forces; responsive strikes against time-critical enemy targets; and destruction of high-value targets to enable other joint forces; and an Indo-Pacific Missile Strategy should— provide coherent direction to concept and capability development, including procurement and employment; distribute integrated capabilities at operationally relevant ranges; coordinate and differentiate strike missions among the military forces of the United States and allies; and pursue co-development and co-production of capabilities with allies and partners, including through existing institutional mechanisms.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy for ground-based theater-range conventional missiles in the Indo-Pacific region. The strategy required by paragraph
(1)shall include the following: An assessment of gaps in conventional theater-range precision strike capabilities in the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. An identification of military requirements for ground-based theater-range conventional missile systems, including range, propulsion, payload, launch platform, weapon effects, and other operationally relevant factors. An identification of prospective basing locations for ground-based theater-range conventional missiles in the area of responsibility of the United States Indo-Pacific Command and an assessment of steps required to receive host-nation permission for forward-basing of such weapon systems. A description of operational concepts for employment of such conventional missiles, including integration with other capabilities in the Western Pacific region. An identification of prospective allies, partners, and institutional mechanisms for co-development of new over-the-horizon range and intermediate-range conventional missiles. An assessment of the cost, schedule, and feasibility of ground-based theater-range conventional missile programs, including any potential cost-sharing structures through existing institutional mechanisms. The strategy required by paragraph
(1)may be submitted in classified form but shall include an unclassified summary. In this section: The term ground-based theater-range conventional missile means a conventional mobile ground-launched cruise or hypersonic missile system with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. With respect to a missile system, the term intermediate-range means a missile system with a range between 3,000 and 5,500 kilometers.