ACQUISITION STRATEGY FOR THEATER HIGH-ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE (THAAD) SYSTEM.

SEC. 233. ACQUISITION STRATEGY FOR THEATER HIGH-ALTITUDE AREA DEFENSE (THAAD) SYSTEM. (a) Independent Review of System.—Subsection (a) of section 236 of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105–261; 112 Stat. 1953) is amended to read as follows: “(a) Continued Independent Review.—The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate steps to assure continued independent review, as the Secretary determines is needed, of the Theater High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program.”. (b) Coordination of Development of System Elements.—Subsection (c) of such section is amended by striking “may” and inserting “shall”. (c) Revision to Limitation on Entering Manufacturing and Development Phase for Interceptor Missile.—Subsection (e) of such section is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (4); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new paragraphs: “(2) If the Secretary determines, after a second successful test of the interceptor missile of the THAAD system, that the THAAD program has achieved a sufficient level of technical maturity, the Secretary may waive the limitation specified in paragraph (1). “(3) If the Secretary grants a waiver under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall, not later than 60 days after the date of the issuance of the waiver, submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing the technical rationale for that action.”.