C–17 AIRCRAFT PROGRAM AND ASSESSMENT OF INTERTHEATER AIRLIFT REQUIREMENTS.

SEC. 131. C–17 AIRCRAFT PROGRAM AND ASSESSMENT OF INTERTHEATER AIRLIFT REQUIREMENTS.(a) Multiyear Procurement Authorized.—Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force may, in accordance with section 2306b of title 10, United States Code, enter into a multiyear contract, beginning with the fiscal year 2006 program year, for the procurement of up to 42 additional C–17 aircraft.(b) Certification Required.—The Secretary of the Air Force may not exercise the authority in subsection (a) until the Secretary of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees a certification that the additional airlift capacity to be provided by the C–17 aircraft to be procured under that authority is consistent with the assessment of the intertheater airlift capabilities required to support the national defense strategy carried out pursuant to subsection (c) and submitted to the congressional committees pursuant to subsection (d).(c) Assessment of Intertheater Airlift Requirements.—(1) Requirement.—The Secretary of Defense shall carry out an assessment of the intertheater airlift capabilities required to support the national defense strategy. The assessment shall include development of recommendations for future airlift force structure requirements, together with an explanation for each such recommendation. The Secretary shall submit the assessment pursuant to subsection (d).(2) Additional information.—In the report on the results of the assessment required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall explain how the recommendations for future airlift force structure requirements in that report take into account the following:(A) The increased airlift demands associated with the Army modular brigade combat teams.(B) The objective to be able to deliver—(i) a brigade combat team anywhere in the world within four to seven days;(ii) a division anywhere in the world within 10 days; and(iii) multiple divisions anywhere in the world within 20 days.(C) The increased airlift demands associated with the expanded scope of operational activities of the Special Operations forces.(D) The realignment of the overseas basing structure in accordance with the Integrated Presence and Basing Strategy announced by the Secretary of Defense on March 20, 2003.119 STAT. 3162(E) Adjustments in the force structure to meet homeland defense requirements.(F) The potential for simultaneous homeland defense activities and major combat operations.(G) Potential changes in requirements for intratheater airlift or sealift capabilities.(H) The capability of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet to provide adequate augmentation in meeting global mobility requirements.(d) Submission of Assessment of Intertheater Airlift Requirements.—(1) Inclusion in quadrennial defense review.—Subject to paragraph (2), the assessment of the intertheater airlift capabilities required to support the national defense strategy required by subsection (c)(1) shall be carried out as part of the quadrennial defense review under section 118 of title 10, United States Code, in 2005 and in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d)(9) of that section, and the report under subsection (c)(1) on that assessment shall be included in the report on that quadrennial defense review submitted to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives with the budget of the President for fiscal year 2007 (as submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code).(2) Alternative submission.—If the Secretary of Defense determines that, because of the date required by law for the submission of the report on the quadrennial defense review referred to in paragraph (1), the assessment of the intertheater airlift capabilities required to support the national defense strategy required by subsection (c)(1) cannot be carried out as part of the quadrennial defense review referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary may submit the report of such assessment not later than 45 days after the date of the submission of that review pursuant to section 118(d) of title 10, United States Code. In that case, the Secretary shall submit the report of such assessment to the congressional defense committees.(e) Maintenance of C–17 Aircraft Production Line.—If the Secretary of Defense is unable to make the certification specified in subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force should procure sufficient C–17 aircraft to maintain the C–17 aircraft production line at not less than the minimum sustaining rate until sufficient flight test data regarding improved C–5 aircraft mission capability rates as a result of the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program and Avionics Modernization Program have been obtained to determine the validity of assumptions concerning the C–5 aircraft used in the Mobility Capabilities Study.