§5533 Required Testing of Ground-based Midcourse Defense Element of Ballistic Missile Defense System

Summary

The Director of the Missile Defense Agency must run a flight test of the ground-based midcourse part of the ballistic missile defense system at least once each fiscal year. Within five years after the next generation interceptor reaches initial operational capability, those annual tests must include that new interceptor. Each test must do one or more things like check technical improvements, measure how well the system would work in real operations, use targets and countermeasures that mimic real threats, try new interceptor setups before fielding them, follow a "fly before buy" approach for new parts or software, or test how this part works with other missile defense pieces. The Director can skip a yearly test for specific reasons such as risks to national security, not enough time between test planning phases, lack of funding, unavailable interceptors or targets, unavailable range or assets, bad weather, or any other reason the Director finds appropriate. If a test is skipped under that “other reason” category, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering must send a certification to the congressional defense committees within 45 days saying why. The Director must also send a report to those committees within 45 days after any skipped test explaining the reason and giving a plan to get an intercept flight test back into the Agency’s Integrated Master Test Plan.