LIGHT UTILITY HELICOPTER PROGRAM.

SEC. 112. LIGHT UTILITY HELICOPTER PROGRAM.(a) Limitation.—None of the funds authorized to be appropriated under section 101(1) for the procurement of light utility helicopters may be obligated or expended until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional defense committees a report that contains—(1) the Secretary’s certification that all required documentation for the acquisition of light utility helicopters has been completed and approved; and(2) an Army aviation modernization plan described in subsection (b).(b) Army Aviation Modernization Plan.—The Army aviation modernization plan referred to in subsection (a)(2) is an updated modernization plan for Army aviation that contains, at a minimum, the following:(1) The analysis on which the plan is based.(2) A discussion of the Secretary’s decision to terminate the Comanche helicopter program and to restructure the aviation force of the Army.(3) The actions taken or to be taken to accelerate the procurement and development of aircraft survivability equipment for Army aircraft, together with a detailed list of aircraft survivability equipment that specifies such equipment by platform and by the related programmatic funding for procurement.(4) A discussion of the conversion of Apache helicopters to block III configuration, including (A) the rationale for converting only 501 Apache helicopters to that configuration, and (B) the costs associated with a conversion of all Apache helicopters to the block III configuration.(5) A discussion of the procurement of light armed reconnaissance helicopters, including (A) the rationale for the requirement for light armed reconnaissance helicopters, and (B) a discussion of the costs associated with upgrading the light armed reconnaissance helicopter to meet Army requirements.(6) The rationale for the Army’s requirement for light utility helicopters, together with a summary and copy of the analysis of the alternative means for meeting such requirement that the Secretary considered in the determination to procure light utility helicopters, including, at a minimum, the analysis of the alternative of using light armed reconnaissance helicopters 118 STAT. 1828 and UH–60 Black Hawk helicopters instead of light utility helicopters to meet such requirement.(7) The rationale for the procurement of cargo fixed-wing aircraft.(8) The rationale for the initiation of a joint multi-role helicopter program.(9) A description of the operational employment of the Army’s restructured aviation force.