§ 485. Joint and service concept development and experimentation

(a) Biennial Reports Required.— Not later than January 1 of each even numbered-year, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary’s designee shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the conduct and outcomes of joint and service concept development and experimentation.

(b) Matters To Be Included.— Each report under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A description of any changes since the latest report submitted under this section to each of the following:

(A) The organization of the Department of Defense responsible for executing the mission of joint concept development and experimentation, or its specific authorities related to that mission.

(B) The process for tasking forces (including forces designated as joint experimentation forces) to participate in joint concept development and experimentation, and the specific authority of the organization responsible for executing the mission of joint concept development and experimentation over those forces.

(C) The resources provided for initial implementation of joint concept development and experimentation, the process for providing such resources to the organization responsible for executing the mission of joint concept development and experimentation, the categories of funding for joint concept development and experimentation, and the authority of the organization responsible for executing the mission of joint concept development and experimentation for budget execution for such activities.

(D) The assigned role of the organization responsible for executing the mission of joint concept development and experimentation for—

(i) integrating and testing in joint concept development and experimentation the systems that emerge from warfighting experimentation by the armed forces and the Defense Agencies;

(ii) assessing the effectiveness of organizational structures, operational concepts, and technologies relating to joint concept development and experimentation; and

(iii) assisting the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in setting priorities for requirements or acquisition programs in light of joint concept development and experimentation.

(2) A description of the conduct of joint concept development and experimentation activities, and of concept development and experimentation activities of each of the military departments, during the two-year period ending on the date of such report, including—

(A) the funding involved;

(B) the number of activities engaged in;

(D) the national and homeland security challenges addressed;

(E) the operational concepts assessed;

(F) the technologies assessed;

(G) the scenarios and measures of effectiveness utilized; and

(H) specific interactions under such activities with the commanders of the combatant commands and with other organizations and entities inside and outside the Department.

(3) A description of the conduct of joint concept development and experimentation, and of the conduct of concept development and experimentation by each of the military departments, during the two-year period ending on the date of such report with respect to the development of warfighting concepts for operational scenarios more than 10 years in the future, including—

(A) the funding involved;

(B) the number of activities engaged in;

(D) the challenges addressed;

(E) the operational concepts assessed;

(F) the technologies assessed;

(G) the scenarios and measures of effectiveness utilized; and

(H) specific interactions with the commanders of the combatant commands and with other organizations and entities inside and outside the Department.

(4) A description of the mechanisms used to coordinate joint, service, interagency, Coalition, and other appropriate concept development and experimentation activities.

(5) An assessment of the return on investment in concept development and experimentation activities, including a description of the following:

(A) Specific outcomes and impacts within the Department of the results of past joint and service concept development and experimentation in terms of new doctrine, operational concepts, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, or the allocation of resources, or in activities that terminated support for legacy concepts, programs, or systems.

(B) Specific actions taken to implement the recommendations of the Commander of United States Joint Forces Command based on joint concept development and experimentation activities.

(6) Such recommendations (based primarily on the results of joint and service concept development and experimentation) as the Secretary considers appropriate for enhancing the development of joint warfighting capabilities by modifying activities throughout the Department relating to—

(A) the development or acquisition of specific advanced technologies, systems, or weapons or systems platforms;

(B) key systems attributes and key performance parameters for the development or acquisition of advanced technologies and systems;

(D) the reduction or elimination of redundant equipment and forces, including the synchronization of the development and fielding of advanced technologies among the armed forces to enable the development and execution of joint operational concepts; and

(E) the development or modification of initial capabilities documents, operational requirements, and relative priorities for acquisition programs to meet joint requirements.

(7) With respect to improving the effectiveness of joint concept development and experimentation capabilities, such recommendations (based primarily on the results of joint warfighting experimentation) as the Secretary considers appropriate regarding—

(A) the conduct of, adequacy of resources for, or development of technologies to support such capabilities; and

(B) changes in support from other elements of the Department responsible for concept development and experimentation by joint or service organizations.

(8) The coordination of the concept development and experimentation activities of the Commander of the United States Joint Forces Command with the activities of the Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Supreme Allied Command Transformation.

(9) Any other matters that the Secretary consider appropriate.

(c) Coordination and Support.— The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of other appropriate elements of the Department of Defense provide such information and support as is required for the preparation of the reports required by this section.

U.S. Code

§ 485. Joint and service concept development and experimentation