PREPARATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PLAN FOR TRANSITION TO INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6.

SEC. 331. PREPARATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PLAN FOR TRANSITION TO INTERNET PROTOCOL VERSION 6. (a) Transition Plan Required.—The Secretary of Defense shall prepare a plan detailing the Department of Defense strategy to provide for the transition of the Department’s information technology systems to Internet Protocol version 6 from the present use of Internet Protocol version 4 and other network protocols. In preparing the transition plan, the Secretary shall compare private industry plans for the transition to Internet Protocol version 6.(b) Elements of Plan.—The transition plan required by subsection (a) shall include the following:(1) An outline of the networking and security system equipment that will need to be replaced in the transition, including the timing and costs of such replacement.(2) An assessment of how the current and new networks and security systems will be managed.(3) An assessment of the potential impact of the transition, including an overall cost estimate for the transition and an estimate of the costs to be incurred by each of the military departments and the Defense Agencies.(4) Any measures proposed to alleviate any adverse effects of the transition. (c) Testing and Evaluation for Internet Protocol.—To determine whether a change to the use of Internet Protocol version 6 will support Department of Defense requirements, the Secretary of Defense shall provide for rigorous, real-world, end-to-end testing of Internet Protocol version 6, as proposed for use by the Department, to evaluate the following:(1) The ability of Internet Protocol version 6, with its “best effort” quality of service, to satisfactory support the Department’s multiple applications and other information technology systems, including the use of Internet Protocol version 6 over bandwidth-constrained tactical circuits. (2) The ability of the Department’s networks using Internet Protocol version 6 to respond to, and perform under, heavy loading of the core networks.(d) Reports on Plan and Test Results.—(1) Not later than March 31, 2005, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the transition plan prepared under subsection (a).(2) Not later than September 30, 2005, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing an update on the continuing test program and any test results.118 STAT. 1851