The House Armed Services Committee released The fiscal year 2025 defense policy bill announced Monday includes numerous provisions aimed at improving cyber capabilities, strengthening innovative research and development, and accelerating investment in critical technologies across the Department of Defense. There is.
The Military Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 would authorize $849.8 billion to the Department of Defense (DoD), consistent with spending caps established for the Department. is. Last year's debt ceiling agreement.
The bill would authorize significant investments in military technology, strengthen cyber capabilities, and enhance various research and development efforts underway at the Department of Defense.
The House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to consider the defense policy bill next week. The Senate Armed Services Committee has not released a version of the NDAA, but It is scheduled The price increase hearing will begin on June 12th.
Bill O'Cause's Department of Defense Space Reserve Program
The House Military Strategic Forces Subcommittee, part of the NDAA, would pave the way for the Pentagon to create a commercial “space reserve” to enhance wartime military satellite capabilities.
of regulations The subcommittee's draft would authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish a Commercial Augmented Space Reserve (CASR) program.
Program – First launched by the Space Force in the new Commercial Space Integration Strategy announced in April – Build a “hybrid space architecture” that connects national security, commercial, civilian, and allied satellites into a large mesh network.
“Under this program, the Secretary agrees to enter into contracts for the procurement of space products or services that eligible contractors may provide additional space products or services to the Department of Defense as necessary under the circumstances.'' may include more than one provision as determined by the Secretary,'' the bill reads.
The Space Force strategy called for commercial capabilities to meet military requirements and capability needs across the spectrum of conflict. The defense bill would limit participation to U.S. companies and citizens. It also emphasizes that new contracts under CASR must meet Department of Defense security requirements, including requirements for access to classified information.
Army to create electronic warfare center of excellence
The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air Forces wants the Army to create an electronic warfare center of excellence, according to a report. regulations It will be included in the 2025 Defense Policy Bill.
Centers of Excellence are the primary tools the Army uses to train soldiers in their respective fields, from artillery to aviation to electronic warfare. The creation of the electronic warfare center will move training for soldiers in this area from the Army's Cyber Center of Excellence.
According to the proposed bill, the Army would have one year after enactment to transfer electronic warfare-related programs, projects, and Cyber Center of Excellence activities to the Electronic Warfare Center of Excellence.
Strengthen the Department of Defense's cyber capabilities
The Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee included several provisions in the FY2025 NDAA aimed at strengthening the Department of Defense's capabilities in cyberspace. The most standard is a directive within the Department of Defense to perform a detailed evaluation of products and services aimed at improving the cybersecurity of mobile devices.
The subcommittee also includes a document covering the Department of Defense's Authorization to Operate (ATO) process.by sentence The bill requires the Department of Defense to “take steps to improve and streamline information technology 'operational authorization' processes.”
The Department of Defense is Addressing challenges related to ATO processes And that hinders rapid technology and software innovation.
Additionally, the bill again includes provisions that solidify the legal foundation for the U.S. Marine Corps' cyber assistance program and allow other military services to establish their own cyber assistance programs.
Subcommittee It contains There is a similar provision in the 2024 NDAA.
Strengthening research and development at the Department of Defense
The Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee also drafted several legislative provisions that would strengthen innovative research and development efforts across the Department of Defense.
Notably, the subcommittee directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to establish a secure computing and data storage environment for testing artificial intelligence (AI) trained on biological data. That's what I'm instructing.
To that end, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in conjunction with the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, will submit an “Feasibility Implementation Plan for Establishing a Secure Computing and Data Storage Environment to Facilitate Testing.'' There is a need to. [AI] Developing and testing models trained on biological data and products generated by such models. ”
The plan is expected to be developed within one year of the enactment of the NDAA in 2025, according to . sentence in the bill.
The bill also advances advances in quantum information science and technology within the Department of Defense.
Specifically, it would require the Secretary of Defense to “develop a strategic plan to guide the development and maturation of quantum information science and technology within the Department of Defense and across the services.” “
Additionally, under this provision, the Department of Defense would establish a Center of Excellence in Quantum Computing at an existing military research laboratory.
