WASHINGTON, D.C. – Led by Chairman Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Ranking Member Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), the Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces today released their proposals for the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Subcommittee will meet at 10:00am ET on Thursday, July 29 in Rayburn 2118 and via the WebEx platform. The markup will be live streamed on the committee’s website. The Subcommittee's mark is available here. 
 
Specifically, this year's proposal:
 
Legislative provisions: 
 
  • Reauthorizes multiyear procurement authority for AH-64E Apache and UH-60M / HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the U.S. Army.
  • Requires an assessment of Air Force airborne electronic attack capabilities and the feasibility of integrating the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer on Air Force tactical aircraft.
  • Requires each commander of a geographic combatant command to provide an independent assessment of the operational risk to that command posed by the restructuring and inventory divestments projected in the Modernization Plan for Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance for the Department of the Air Force.  
  • Requires the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of the Navy to provide reports that describe the total quantity of ejection seats currently in operational use that are operating with an approved waiver due to deferred maintenance actions or because required parts or components are not available to replace expired parts or components.
  • Prohibits the Secretary of the Navy from taking actions to reduce aviation operational testing capacity and requires the Department of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation to assess the Navy's future planned reductions and mitigation strategy.
  • Requires the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to investigate, assess, and implement corrective actions for the F-35 breathing system initially noted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Engineering and Safety Center Technical Assessment Report on the F-35 pilot breathing system published on November 19, 2020.
  • Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide periodic reports on the health and effectiveness of the Air Force testing and evaluation enterprise.  
  • Requires continuation of the Soldier Enhancement Program under the responsibility and authority of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology.
 
The mark includes direction that the Department provide reports or briefings on a variety of important issues including:
 
  • Requires a report from the Comptroller General of the United States on the development and acquisition of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift program.
  • Requires a briefing on Air Force plans to enhance connectivity between the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint and 4th and 5th generation platforms.  
  • Requires a report on Air Force and Navy research, development, and acquisition efforts focused on fielding advanced or cognitive electronic warfare capabilities to airborne platforms.  
  • Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a briefing on Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Techniques software development, flight testing, and fielding schedule. 
  • Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report that assesses current Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps tactical aircraft capability and capacity requirements and forecasted shortfalls, and assesses the extent to which the services’ tactical aircraft acquisition and modernization investment plans, including Next Generation Air Dominance efforts, are likely to meet those requirements and address the shortfalls.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report that assesses the key enabling issues and items supporting the Naval Air Warfare Center Division’s mission to determine what capacity, resources, and infrastructure are required to support advanced and next-generation weapon systems development and testing activities.   
  • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a briefing on the Air Force’s ability to expand digital engineering capabilities to a wider range of programs, high-cost structural parts, mission systems, and component subsystems.  
  • Directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of the Navy, to submit a report that analyzes and summarizes spinal-fracture and lumbar compression injuries that have occurred during ejections from Department of Defense aircraft between 1985 and present day, and to implement standardized policies to facilitate the inter-service exchange of ejection event safety and injury-related data and information.
  • Directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology to provide a briefing on the Army’s plans for the completion of the installation of rollover mitigation kits onto all HMMWVs the Army plans to retain.
  • Directs the Commander, U.S. Army Futures Command, to submit a report on the technical and affordability potential of an advanced combat engine based on opposed piston technology, as well as potential for application in any current or future combat or tactical vehicle, including the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV).
  • Directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a briefing on research and development plans related to electric vehicle charging and recharging in the tactical environment.  
  • Directs the Commander, Army Futures Command, in coordination with the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to submit a report on efforts to make the combat and tactical vehicle industrial base aware of its interest in graphite composite and graphitic carbon foam vehicle components.
  • Directs the Commander, Army Futures Command, to provide a report on alternative technologies, including an automatic loader, for increasing the Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system's rate of fire.
  • Directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology to provide a briefing on the Army's plans for sustaining and improving SHORAD system capability and capacity to meet current and potential air threats. 
  • Directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a briefing on the current medium caliber direct-fire ammunition acquisition strategy and future changes, if any, under consideration. 
  • Directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to provide a briefing on high frequency communications infrastructure, including modernization plans, coordination between Federal agencies, and infrastructure resiliency.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a briefing on its plans to fulfill the critical soldier equipment evaluation and acquisition role played by the Soldier Enhancement Program, as well as the distribution of responsibility and authority for budgeting and the management of the execution of the program. 
 

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