REPORT ON PROGRESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WITH RESPECT TO DENYING THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF A COMPETITOR AGAINST A COVERED DEFENSE PARTNER.

SEC. 1299G. REPORT ON PROGRESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WITH RESPECT TO DENYING THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF A COMPETITOR AGAINST A COVERED DEFENSE PARTNER. (a) Report on Progress of the Department of Defense With Respect To Denying the Strategic Goals of a Competitor Against a Covered Defense Partner.— (1) In general.—Not later than April 30, 2021, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the progress of the Department of Defense with respect to improving the ability of the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to deny the strategic goals of a competitor against a covered defense partner. (2) Matters to be included.—Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) An explanation of the objectives for the United States Armed Forces that would be necessary to deny the strategic goals of a competitor against a covered defense partner. (B) An identification of joint warfighting capabilities and current efforts to organize, train, and equip the United States Armed Forces in support of the objectives explained pursuant to paragraph (1), including— (i) an assessment of whether the programs included in the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code, are sufficient to enable the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to achieve such objectives; (ii) a description of additional investments or force posture adjustments required to maintain or improve the ability of the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to achieve such objectives; (iii) a description of the manner in which the Secretary of Defense intends to develop and integrate Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force operational concepts to maintain or improve the ability of the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to achieve such objectives; and (iv) an assessment of the manner in which different options for pre-delegating authorities may improve the ability of the United States Armed Forces to conduct combined joint operations to achieve such objectives. (C) An assessment of options for deterring limited use of nuclear weapons by a competitor in the Indo-Pacific region without undermining the ability of the United States Armed Forces to maintain deterrence against other competitors or adversaries. (D) An assessment of a competitor theory of victory for invading and unifying a covered defense partner with such competitor by military force. (E) A description of the military objectives a competitor would need to achieve strategic goals. (F) A description of the military missions a strategic competitor would need to achieve strategic goals, including— (i) blockade and bombing operations; (ii) amphibious landing operations; or (iii) combat operations. (G) An assessment of competing demands on a competitor’s resources and how such demands impact such competitor’s ability to achieve strategic goals. (H) An assessment of the self-defense capabilities of covered defense partners and a summary of defense articles and services that are required to enhance such capability. (I) An assessment of the capabilities of partner and allied countries to conduct combined operations with the United States Armed Forces in a regional contingency. (3) Form.—Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in classified form but may include an unclassified executive summary. (b) Definitions.—In this section: (1) The term “competitor” means a country identified as a strategic competitor in the “Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the United States of America: Sharpening the American Military’s Competitive Edge” issued by the Department of Defense pursuant to section 113 of title 10, United States Code. (2) The term “covered defense partner” means a partner identified in the “Department of Defense Indo-Pacific Strategy Report” issued on June 1, 2019, that is located within 100 miles off the coast of a strategic competitor. (3) The term “strategic goals” means, with respect to a competitor, a strategy designed to allow the competitor to rapidly use military force to effectively control the territory of a covered defense partner before the United States Armed Forces are able to respond.