§5533 Required testing of ground-based midcourse defense element of ballistic missile defense system

Summary

The Director of the Missile Defense Agency must run at least one flight test of the ground-based midcourse defense each fiscal year. Starting no later than five years after the next-generation interceptor becomes operational, those yearly tests must include that new interceptor. Tests must do one or more things such as check technical fixes and reliability, measure how well the system would work in real conditions, use realistic targets and countermeasures, try new interceptor designs or software before buying or fielding them, and check how the system works with other missile‑defense parts. The Director may skip a yearly test for reasons like national security, not enough time, lack of money, unavailable interceptor or target, no test range or assets, bad weather, or other reasons. If a test is skipped for any reason, the Director must send Congress a report within 45 days explaining why and giving a plan to restore an intercept flight test in the Agency’s Integrated Master Test Plan. If the test is skipped for an “other” reason, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering must also send a certification to the congressional defense committees within 45 days saying what the reason was.