F–22 AIRCRAFT PROGRAM.

SEC. 131. F–22 AIRCRAFT PROGRAM. (a) Certification Required Before LRIP.—The Secretary of the Air Force may not award a contract for low-rate initial production under the F–22 aircraft program until the Secretary of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees the Secretary’s certification of each of the following: (1) That the test plan in the engineering and manufacturing development phase for that program is adequate for determining the operational effectiveness and suitability of the F–22 aircraft. (2) That the engineering and manufacturing development phase, and the production phase, for that program can each be executed within the limitation on total cost applicable to that program under subsection (a) or (b), respectively, of section 217 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105–85; 111 Stat. 1660). (b) Lack of Certification.—If the Secretary of Defense is unable to submit either or both of the certifications under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report which includes— (1) the reasons the certification or certifications could not be made; (2) a revised acquisition plan approved by the Secretary of Defense if the Secretary desires to proceed with low-rate initial production; and (3) a revised cost estimate for the remainder of the engineering and manufacturing development phase and for the production phase of the F–22 program if the Secretary desires to proceed with low-rate initial production.