REPORT ON PROGRAM FOR REPLACEMENT OF NUCLEAR WARHEADS ON CERTAIN TRIDENT SEA-LAUNCHED BALLISTIC MISSILES WITH CONVENTIONAL WARHEADS.

SEC. 219. REPORT ON PROGRAM FOR REPLACEMENT OF NUCLEAR WARHEADS ON CERTAIN TRIDENT SEA-LAUNCHED BALLISTIC MISSILES WITH CONVENTIONAL WARHEADS.(a) Report Required.—Not later than February 1, 2007, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth a proposal to replace nuclear warheads on 24 Trident D–5 sea-launched ballistic missiles with conventional kinetic warheads for deployment on submarines that carry Trident sea-launched ballistic missiles. The report shall be prepared in consultation with the Secretary of State.(b) Elements.—The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:(1) A description of the types of scenarios, types of targets, and circumstances in which a conventional sea-launched ballistic missile might be used.(2) A discussion of the weapon systems or weapons, whether current or planned, that could be used as an alternative for each of the scenarios, target types, and circumstances set forth under paragraph (1), and a statement of any reason why each such weapon system or weapon is not a suitable alternative to a conventional sea-launched ballistic missile.(3) A description of the command and control arrangements for conventional sea-launched ballistic missiles, including launch authority and the use of Permissive Action Links (PALs).(4) An assessment of the capabilities of other countries to detect and track the launch of a conventional or nuclear sea-launched ballistic missile.(5) An assessment of the capabilities of other countries to discriminate between the launch of a nuclear sea-launched ballistic missile and a conventional sea-launched ballistic missile, other than in a testing scenario.(6) An assessment of the notification and other protocols that would have to be in place before using any conventional sea-launched ballistic missile and a plan for entering into such protocols.(7) An assessment of the adequacy of the intelligence that would be needed to support an attack involving conventional sea-launched ballistic missiles.(8) A description of the total program cost, including the procurement costs of additional D–5 missiles, of the conventional Trident sea-launched ballistic missile program, by fiscal year.(9) An analysis and assessment of the implications for ballistic missile proliferation if the United States decides to go forward with the conventional Trident sea-launched ballistic missile program or any other conventional long-range ballistic missile program.120 STAT. 2129(10) An analysis and assessment of the implications for the United States missile defense system if other countries use conventional long-range ballistic missiles.(11) An analysis of any problems created by the ambiguity that results from the use of the same ballistic missile for both conventional and nuclear warheads.(12) An analysis and assessment of the methods that other countries might use to resolve the ambiguities associated with a nuclear or conventional sea-launched ballistic missile.(13) An analysis, by the Secretary of State, of the international, treaty, and other concerns that would be associated with the use of a conventional sea-launched ballistic missile and recommendations for measures to mitigate or eliminate such concerns.(14) A joint statement by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State on how to ensure that the use of a conventional sea-launched ballistic missile will not result in an intentional, inadvertent, mistaken, or accidental reciprocal or responsive launch of a nuclear strike by any other country.