TESTING OF REDESIGNED KILL VEHICLE PRIOR TO PRODUCTION AND GROUND-BASED MIDCOURSE DEFENSE ACCELERATION OPTIONS.

SEC. 1683. TESTING OF REDESIGNED KILL VEHICLE PRIOR TO PRODUCTION AND GROUND-BASED MIDCOURSE DEFENSE ACCELERATION OPTIONS. (a) Successful Testing Required.—Except as provided by subsection (b), the Director of the Missile Defense Agency may not make a lot production decision for the redesigned kill vehicle unless the vehicle has undergone at least one successful flight intercept test that meets the following criteria: (1) The test sufficiently assesses the performance of the vehicle in order to inform a lot production decision. (2) The results of the test demonstrate that the vehicle— (A) will work in an effective manner; and (B) has the ability to accomplish the intended mission of the vehicle. (b) Waiver.—The Secretary of Defense, without delegation, may waive subsection (a) if— (1) the Secretary determines that the waiver is in the interest of national security; (2) the Secretary determines that the threat of missiles is advancing at a pace that requires additional capacity of the ground-based midcourse system by 2023; (3) the Secretary determines that the waiver is appropriate in light of the assessment conducted by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation under subsection (c); (4) the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees a report containing— (A) a notice of the waiver, including the rationale of the Secretary for making the waiver; (B) a certification by the Secretary that the Secretary has analyzed and accepts the risk of making and implementing a lot production decision for the redesigned kill vehicle prior to the vehicle undergoing a successful flight intercept test; and (C) the assessment of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation under subsection (c); and (5) a period of 30 days elapses following the date on which the Secretary submits the report under paragraph (4). (c) Assessment on Risks.—The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall submit to the Secretary of Defense an assessment on the risks of making a lot production decision for the redesigned kill vehicle prior to the vehicle undergoing a successful flight intercept test. (d) Report.— (1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Missile Defense Agency shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on ways the Director could accelerate by at least one year the construction of Missile Field 4 at Fort Greely, Alaska, as well as the deployment of 20 ground-based interceptors with redesigned kill vehicles at such missile field. (2) Contents.—The report under paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) A threat-based description of the benefits and risks of accelerating the construction and deployment referred to in paragraph (1). (B) A description of the technical and acquisition risks and potential effects on the reliability of the redesigned kill vehicle if deployment is accelerated as described in paragraph (1). (C) A description of the cost implications of accelerating the construction and deployment referred to in paragraph (1). (D) A description of the effect such acceleration would have on the redesigned kill vehicle flight test schedule and the overall integrated master test plan. (E) A description of the effect that the acceleration described in paragraph (1) would have on re-tipping currently deployed exoatmospheric kill vehicles with the redesigned kill vehicle. (F) A description of how such acceleration would align with the deployment of the long-range discrimination radar and the discrimination radar for homeland defense to be made operational in Hawaii. (G) A cost-benefit analysis and a feasibility assessment for construction of a fifth missile field at Fort Greely, Alaska. (3) Form.—The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.