Sec. 903. Enhanced coordination on international cooperation activities
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Section 133b(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— in paragraph (8), by striking and at the end; in paragraph (9)(C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and by adding at the end the following new paragraph: advising the Secretary on, establishing policies on, and supervising, the activities of the Department relating to international cooperation and agreements regarding industrial base collaboration and coordination, including cooperative development and co-production, reciprocal production, exportability considerations, supply chain integration, security of supply chain agreements, and acquisition and cross-service agreements. .
Not later than July 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall update relevant policies and guidance related to the duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment prescribed in section 133b(b)(10) of title 10, United States Code, as added by paragraph (1). Not later than July 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall establish not fewer than two Cross-Functional Teams to coordinate and support international cooperation activities of the Department of Defense.
Of the Cross-Functional Teams required under paragraph (1)— at least one shall be dedicated to a geographic area of interest, such as a specific country or subset of an area of responsibility for a geographic combatant command; and at least one shall be dedicated to a functional area of interest, such as munitions production, logistics, or additive manufacturing. The Cross-Functional Teams established under paragraph (1)— shall include representation from— the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment; and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and may include such other participants from across the Department of Defense as the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate.
Each Cross-Functional Team shall have a Chairperson who shall be designated by the Secretary of Defense from among the representatives on the Team from the Offices specified in paragraph (3)(A). Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a contract with a federally funded research and development center or a university-affiliated nonprofit organization to— conduct a study with respect to whether the organization, resourcing, manning, and training of the Department of Defense for international cooperation activities is sufficient to support expanded demand for security cooperation activities with countries that are allies and partners of the United States; and submit to the Secretary a report on the results of the study.
The study conducted under paragraph
(1)shall include the following: An assessment of the roles and responsibilities of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International and Industry Engagement, and any other officials the Secretary considers appropriate to include, to reduce overlap and increase cooperation between components of the Department of Defense with respect to international cooperation activities. An identification and assessment of mechanisms for coordination with the Department of State with respect to such activities. An identification and assessment of existing tools in the Department of Defense to support international cooperation, including the Global Research Watch Program and the international research offices of the military departments. An identification of industry fora, training or wargaming opportunities, and exercise events that could be leveraged to support increased international cooperation activities. An assessment of the success, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, in integrating the defense industrial bases of the United States and countries that are allies and partners of the United States, including recommendations with respect to— goals for the end-state of that integration; and how to integrate those goals into the strategic planning documents and guidance of the Department of Defense. An identification of additional opportunities for international defense industrial base cooperation and specific challenges to acting on those opportunities. Any other matter the Secretary of Defense determines relevant. Not later than September 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees— the report received by the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B); and any comments of the Secretary with respect to such report. In this subsection, the term nonprofit organization means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code.