EVALUATION OF OPTIONS FOR FUTURE BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE SENSOR ARCHITECTURES.

SEC. 236. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS FOR FUTURE BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE SENSOR ARCHITECTURES. (a) Evaluation Required.— (1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Commander of the United States Strategic Command, shall conduct an evaluation of options and alternatives for future sensor architectures for ballistic missile defense in order to enhance the ballistic missile defense capabilities of the United States. (2) Consultation.—In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the heads of departments and agencies of the Federal Government that the Secretary determines appropriate. (3) Scope of evaluation.—In conducting the evaluation under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the following: (A) A wide range of options for a future sensor architecture for ballistic missile defense, including— (i) options regarding the future development, integration, exploitation, and deployment of existing or new missile defense sensor systems and assets; and (ii) options regarding using capabilities of the Federal Government that exist or are planned as of the date of the evaluation that are not primarily focused on missile defense, including such capabilities that may require modification to be used for missile defense. (B) The potential costs, advantages, and feasibility of using such future sensor architecture for purposes other than missile defense, including for technical intelligence collection or space situational awareness. (C) Whether and how such future sensor architectures could be designed and employed to fulfill missions other than missile defense when not required for such missile defense missions. (4) Objective.—The objective of the evaluation shall be to identify one or more future sensor architectures for ballistic missile defense that will result in an improvement of the performance of the ballistic missile defense system in a cost-effective, operationally effective, timely, and affordable manner. (b) Elements to Be Evaluated.—The evaluation required by subsection (a) shall include a consideration of the following: (1) Sensor types.—At a minimum, the types of sensors as follows: (A) Radar. (B) Infrared. (C) Optical and electro-optical. (D) Directed energy. (2) Sensor modes.—Deployment modes of sensors as follows: (A) Ground-based sensors. (B) Sea-based sensors. (C) Airborne sensors. (D) Space-based sensors. (3) Sensor functions.—At a minimum, missile defense-related sensor functions as follows: (A) Detection. (B) Tracking. (C) Characterization. (D) Classification. (E) Discrimination. (F) Debris mitigation. (G) Kill assessment. (4) Sensor architecture capabilities.—At a minimum, maximization or improvement of sensor-related capabilities as follows: (A) Handling of increasing raid sizes. (B) Precision tracking of threat missiles. (C) Providing fire-control quality tracks of evolving threat missiles. (D) Enabling launch-on-remote and engage-on-remote capabilities. (E) Discriminating lethal objects (warheads) from other objects. (F) Effectively assessing the results of engagements. (G) Enabling enhanced shot doctrine. (H) Other capabilities that the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate. (c) Report.— (1) In general.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth the results of the evaluation required by subsection (a). (2) Elements.—The report under paragraph (1) shall include the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Secretary with respect to— (A) future sensor architectures evaluated under subsection (a)(3)(A)(i). (B) existing or planned capabilities of the Federal Government evaluated under subsection (a)(3)(A)(ii); (C) using future sensor architecture for additional purposes as described in subsection (a)(3)(B); and (D) the design and employment of future sensor architectures to fulfill missions other than missile defense as described in subsection (a)(3)(C). (3) Form.—The report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. (d) Conforming Repeal.—Section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239; 126 Stat. 1675) is repealed.