§4422 Weapon System Component or Technology Prototype Projects: Oversight

Summary

Each military department secretary must create or name a senior advisory board to run prototype projects for weapon components and other technologies and to watch how the money is used. The board must be made up of senior officials who know requirements, research and testing, buying and keeping systems working, and other related areas. They must also know about technology work in the Department of Defense, industry, and elsewhere, and understand major weapon systems’ component needs and fielding schedules. The board must write a strategic plan every three years that ranks which capabilities and components to prototype based on warfighter needs, system gaps or readiness problems, chances to add commercial or science-and-technology items ready to prototype within three years, and ways to cut operating costs. Each year the board must recommend funding levels and specific projects to the department’s acquisition leader. The board must ensure projects are run by RDT&E experts, allow appropriate experimentation and risk, have a plan to move successful prototypes into field use or programs of record, and have needed technical, contracting, and financial support. Twice a year the board must notify the congressional defense committees about projects started in the prior six months (with explanations and funding needs) and results from projects finished and tested in the prior six months.