§8029 Naval Air Warfare Rapid Capabilities Office

Summary

Creates an office inside the Department of the Navy called the Naval Air Warfare Rapid Capabilities Office. Its leader must be the person picked by the Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command. The office must find and quickly build new or new uses for naval aviation weapons and airborne electronic warfare tools, and help test and field both unclassified and classified versions. For buying things, the senior contracting official and other Navy acquisition staff may use any path in the adaptive acquisition framework (DoD Instruction 5000.02) or other fast, flexible contracting methods. The usual Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System process does not apply. The Secretary of the Navy must set aside separate budget program elements for these rapid naval air warfare efforts and the office must use them. An executive oversight board will set priorities, oversee, and approve the office’s projects. The board includes the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, and the Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command. Each year the office head must report to that board, and then the Assistant Secretary must brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. The report and briefing must cover last year’s funding, the capability gaps worked on, progress in testing and fielding, and any barriers, including laws or rules.