STUDY ON THE ABILITY OF NATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT THE MATURATION OF HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUTURE DEFENSE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT.

SEC. 1071. STUDY ON THE ABILITY OF NATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT THE MATURATION OF HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUTURE DEFENSE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT. (a) Study Required.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, working with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), shall conduct a study on the ability of the national test and evaluation infrastructure, including ground test facilities and open air ranges of the Department of Defense, and leveraging NASA and private facilities, when appropriate, to effectively and efficiently mature hypersonic technologies for defense systems development in the short and long term. (b) Report and Plan.— (1) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing the results of the study required under subsection (a) together with a plan for requirements and proposed investments to meet Department of Defense needs through 2030. (2) Content.—The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following elements: (A) An assessment of the current condition and adequacy of the hypersonics test and evaluation infrastructure within the Department of Defense, NASA, and the private sector to support hypersonic research and development within the Department of Defense. (B) An identification of test and evaluation infrastructure outside the Department of Defense that could be used to support Department of Defense hypersonic research and development and assess means to ensure the availability of such capabilities to the Department in the present and future. (C) A time-phased plan to acquire required hypersonics research, development, test and evaluation capabilities, including identification of the resources necessary to acquire any needed capabilities that are currently not available. (D) Other matters the Secretary determines are appropriate. (3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.—In this subsection, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means— (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives.