§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 each fiscal year of the ground-based midcourse defense system. Within five years after the next generation interceptor reaches initial operational capability, those annual tests must include that new interceptor. The tests must check things like technical improvements, operational performance, use of realistic threat targets and countermeasures, new interceptor configurations before fielding, a “fly before buy” check of new parts or software, and how the system works with other missile‑defense parts. The Director can skip a yearly test for reasons such as national security, timing, lack of money, unavailable interceptors or targets, test range or asset problems, bad weather, or other valid reasons. If a test is skipped, the Director must send Congress a report within 45 days explaining why and how a flight test will be put back into the Missile Defense Agency’s Integrated Master Test Plan. If the skip is for an “other” reason, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering must also certify the reason to the congressional defense committees within 45 days.