1012 
(b) ELEMENTS
OF STUDY.—The study required 
under subsection (a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) An assessment of the ability of the pro-
grammed airlift aircraft, tanker aircraft, sealift 
ships, and key mobility enablers to meet the inte-
grated mobility requirements in expected strategic 
environments, as defined by the guidance in such 
national defense strategy. 
(2) An identification, quantification, and de-
scription of the associated risk-to-mission (as de-
fined by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Man-
ual 3105.01, Joint Risk Analysis) required to fulfill 
such strategy, including— 
(A) as assessment of risk-to-mission associ-
ated with achieving strategic and operational 
objectives using the programmed airlift aircraft, 
tanker aircraft, sealift ships, and key mobility 
enablers; and 
(B) a description of the combinations of 
airlift aircraft, tanker aircraft, sealift ships, and 
key mobility enabler requirements and capabili-
ties that provide low, moderate, significant, and 
high levels of risk-to-mission to fulfill such 
strategy.
1013 
(3) An identification of any mobility capability 
gaps, shortfalls, overlaps, or excesses, including— 
(A) an assessment of associated risks with 
respect to the ability to conduct operations; and 
(B) recommended mitigation strategies 
where possible. 
(4) The articulation of all key assumptions and 
decisions made and excursions examined in con-
ducting the study with respect to— 
(A) risk; 
(B) programmed forces and infrastructure; 
(C) the availability of commercial airlift 
and sealift capabilities and resources, when ap-
plicable; 
(D) aircraft usage rates, aircraft mission 
availability rates, aircraft mission capability 
rates, aircrew ratios, aircrew production, and 
aircrew readiness rates; 
(E) readiness, crewing, and activation 
rates for sealift ships; 
(F) prepositioning, forward stationing, 
seabasing, engineering, and infrastructure; 
(G) demand signals used to represent mis-
sions described in the national defense strategy 
for 2018, in competition and wartime;
1014 
(H) concurrency and global integration of 
demand signals; 
(I) integrated global presence and basing 
strategy; 
(J) host nation or third-country support; 
(K) adversary actions to degrade and dis-
rupt United States mobility operations; 
(L) adversary actions that threaten free-
dom of navigation on international waterways, 
including attacks on foreign ships and crews; 
(M) aircraft being used for training or un-
dergoing depot maintenance or modernization 
or ships undergoing depot maintenance; 
(N) mobility enabling forces availability, 
readiness, and use; 
(O) logistics concept of operations, includ-
ing any support concepts, methods, combat sup-
port forces, and combat service support forces 
that are required to enable the projection and 
enduring support to forces both deployed and in 
combat for each analytic scenario; 
(P) anticipated attrition rates for the as-
sessed force structure; and 
(Q) such other matters as the Commander 
determines appropriate.
1015 
(5) Such other elements as the Commander de-
termines appropriate. 
(c) REPORTS AND BRIEFINGS.— 
(1) INTERIM
REPORT
AND
BRIEFING.—Not 
later than June 1, 2020, the Commander of the 
United States Transportation Command, in coordi-
nation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff and the Secretaries of the military depart-
ments, shall— 
(A) submit to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives an in-
terim report on the study; and 
(B) provide to such Committee a briefing 
on the report. 
(2) FINAL REPORT AND BRIEFING.—Not later 
than January 1, 2021, the Commander of the 
United States Transportation Command, in coordi-
nation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff and the Secretaries of the military depart-
ments, shall— 
(A) submit to the Committee on Armed 
Services of the House of Representatives a final 
report on the study; and 
(B) provide to such Committee a briefing 
on the report.
1016 
(3) FORM OF REPORTS.—The reports required 
by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be submitted in un-
classified form, but may include a classified annex. 
(d) DEFINITION OF SEALIFT SHIP.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘sealift ship’’ includes surge sealift vessels, tank-
er vessels, and non-governmental vessels incorporated as 
part of the maritime logistics enterprise. 
SEC. 1067. ASSESSMENT OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCE 
STRUCTURE. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall enter into an agreement with a federally fund-
ed research and development center for the conduct 
of an independent assessment of the force structure 
and roles and responsibilities of special operations 
forces. 
(2) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
July 1, 2020, the Secretary shall submit to the con-
gressional defense committees the results of the as-
sessment required under paragraph (1). 
(3) FORM.—The assessment required under 
paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form, but may contain a classified annex. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED.—In performing 
the assessment under this section, the federally funded re-
1017 
search and development center shall consider the following 
matters: 
(1) The most recent national defense strategy 
under section 113(g) of title 10, United States Code. 
(2) Special operations activities, as described in 
section 167(k) of title 10, United States Code. 
(3) Potential future national security threats to 
the United States. 
(4) Ongoing counterterrorism and contingency 
operations of the United States. 
(5) The demand for special operations forces by 
geographic combatant commanders for security co-
operation, exercises, and other missions that could 
be executed by conventional forces. 
(6) Other government and non-government 
analyses that would contribute to the assessment 
through variations in study assumptions or potential 
scenarios. 
(7) The role of emerging technology on special 
operations forces. 
(8) Opportunities for reduced operation and 
sustainment costs of special operations. 
(9) Current and projected capabilities of other 
United States Armed Forces that could affect force
1018 
structure capability and capacity requirements of 
special operations forces. 
(10) The process by which United States Spe-
cial Operations Command determines force size and 
structure. 
(11) The readiness of special operations forces 
for assigned missions and future conflicts. 
(12) The adequacy of special operations force 
structure for meeting the goals of the National Mili-
tary Strategy under section 153(b) of title 10, 
United States Code. 
(13) Any other matters deemed relevant. 
(c) ASSESSMENT RESULTS.—The results of the as-
sessment under this section shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Considerations and recommendations for 
improving the readiness of special operations forces 
and alternative force structure options. 
(2) Legislative recommendations with respect to 
section 167 of title 10, United States Code, and 
other relevant provisions of law. 
(3) The views of United States Special Oper-
ations Command on the assessment.
1019 
SEC. 1068. ARMY AVIATION STRATEGIC PLAN AND MOD-
ERNIZATION ROADMAP. 
(a) STRATEGIC PLAN AND MODERNIZATION ROAD-
MAP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Army 
shall develop a comprehensive strategic plan for 
Army aviation, which shall be designed to— 
(A) ensure the alignment between require-
ments, both current and future, and Army 
budget submissions to meet such requirements; 
and 
(B) inform the preparation of future de-
fense program and budget requests by the Sec-
retary, and the consideration of such requests 
by Congress. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The plan required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of all missions for 
Army aviation, both current missions and those 
missions necessary to support the national de-
fense strategy and the U.S. Army in Multi-Do-
main Operations 2028 concept. 
(B) An analysis of platforms, capabilities, 
and capacities necessary to fulfill such current 
and future Army aviation missions.
1020 
(C) The required life cycle budget associ-
ated with each platform, capability, and capac-
ity requirement for both current and future re-
quirements. 
(D) An analysis showing operational, budg-
et, and schedule trade-offs between sustainment 
of currently fielded capabilities, modernization 
of currently fielded capabilities, and develop-
ment and production of new capabilities. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than March 
30, 2020, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report containing— 
(1) the comprehensive strategic plan required 
by subsection (a); and 
(2) a sustainment and modernization plan for 
carrying out such strategic plan through fiscal year 
2028. 
SEC. 1069. REPORT ON GROUND-BASED LONG-RANGE AR-
TILLERY TO COUNTER LAND AND MARITIME 
THREATS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 1, 2020, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives a report on the efforts by the Army and Marine 
Corps to develop and deploy ground-based long-range
1021 
rocket and cannon artillery to counter land and maritime 
threats. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include each of the following: 
(1) An assessment of ongoing and future Army 
and Marine Corps efforts to develop and deploy 
ground-based long-range rocket and cannon artillery 
to counter land and maritime fires in the areas of 
operations of United States Indo-Pacific Command 
and United States European Command. 
(2) An assessment of and recommendations for 
how the Department of Defense can improve the de-
velopment and deployment of such artillery. 
(3) An analysis and assessment of how such ar-
tillery employed in support of the Armed Forces of 
the United States and allied forces would be de-
ployed, positioned, and controlled to operate effec-
tively against potential adversaries throughout the 
depth of their tactical, operational, and strategic for-
mations, including any recommendations of the Sec-
retary regarding how such support could be en-
hanced. 
(c) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by sub-
section (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may contain a classified annex.
1022 
SEC. 1070. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF TRANSPORTATION 
WORKING-CAPITAL FUND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of De-
fense, in coordination with the Secretary of each of the 
military departments, shall enter into a contract with a 
federally funded research and development center for the 
conduct of an independent review of the transportation 
working-capital fund (hereinafter referred to as the 
‘‘TWCF’’) of the United States Transportation Command. 
(b) MATTERS
FOR INCLUSION.—The review con-
ducted under subsection (a) shall include each of the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The viability of the TWCF as it is struc-
tured as of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) An assessment of any instances in which ex-
cess TWCF funds were used for procurement or 
modernization efforts that would not otherwise have 
been funded using amounts made available for oper-
ation and maintenance. 
(3) Recommendations for how the TWCF could 
be restructured in order to make the fund more ef-
fective and efficient. 
(4) Potential alternative funding mechanisms 
for certain components of the TWCF, including the 
channel system.
1023 
(5) Any other matters the Secretaries jointly 
determine appropriate. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than March 1, 2021, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of each of the mili-
tary departments shall jointly submit the to the congres-
sional defense committees a copy of the review conducted 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 1071. GEOGRAPHIC COMMAND RISK ASSESSMENT OF 
PROPOSED USE OF CERTAIN AIRCRAFT CA-
PABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than March 31, 2020, 
each commander of a geographic combatant command 
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re-
port containing an assessment of the level of operational 
risk to that command posed by the plans of the Depart-
ment of the Navy and Department of the Air Force to 
provide a mix of fifth generation and advanced fourth gen-
eration tactical aircraft capabilities to meet contingency 
and steady-state operational requirements against adver-
saries in support of the objectives of the 2018 national 
defense strategy. 
(b) ASSESSMENT OF RISK.—In assessing levels of 
operational risk under subsection (a), a commander shall 
use the military risk matrix of the Chairman of the Joint
1024 
Chiefs of Staff, as described in CJCS Instruction 
3401.01E. 
(c) GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMAND.—In this 
section, the term ‘‘geographic combatant command’’ 
means each of the following: 
(1) United States European Command. 
(2) United States Indo-Pacific Command. 
(3) United States Africa Command. 
(4) United States Southern Command. 
(5) United States Northern Command. 
(6) United States Central Command. 
SEC. 1072. ANNUAL REPORT ON STRIKES UNDERTAKEN BY 
THE UNITED STATES AGAINST TERRORIST 
TARGETS OUTSIDE AREAS OF ACTIVE HOS-
TILITIES. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than May 1 of each 
year, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to 
Congress a report on the number of strikes undertaken 
by the United States against terrorist targets outside 
areas of active hostilities during the preceding calendar 
year, as well as assessments of combatant and non-com-
batant deaths resulting from those strikes. 
(b) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report required by 
subsection (a) shall include—
1025 
(1) information obtained from relevant agencies 
regarding the general sources of information and 
methodology used to conduct the assessments of 
combatant and non-combatant deaths; 
(2) to the extent feasible and appropriate, the 
general reasons for discrepancies between post-strike 
assessments from the United States and credible re-
porting from nongovernmental organizations regard-
ing non-combatant deaths resulting from strikes un-
dertaken by the United States against terrorist tar-
gets outside areas of active hostilities. 
(c) REVIEW OF POST-STRIKE REPORTING.—In pre-
paring a report under this section, the Director shall re-
view relevant and credible post-strike all-source reporting, 
including such information from nongovernmental sources, 
for the purpose of ensuring that this reporting is available 
to and considered by relevant agencies in their assessment 
of deaths. 
(d) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
may include a classified annex.
1026 
SEC. 1073. TERMINATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR SUB-
MITTAL TO CONGRESS OF CERTAIN RECUR-
RING REPORTS. 
(a) TERMINATION.—Effective on December 30, 
2021, each report described in subsection (b) that is still 
required to be submitted to Congress as of such effective 
date shall no longer be required to be submitted to Con-
gress. 
(b) COVERED REPORTS.—A report described in this 
subsection is a recurring report that is required to be sub-
mitted to Congress by the Department of Defense, or by 
any officer, official, component, or element of the Depart-
ment, by any annual national defense authorization Act 
enacted on or after December 30, 2016. 
SEC. 1074. REPORT ON OPERATIONAL CONCEPTS AND 
PLANS REGARDING STRATEGIC COMPETI-
TORS. 
Not later than February 1, 2020, and then biannually 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report on the Depart-
ment of Defense’s operational concepts and plans regard-
ing strategic competitors, including on strategically sig-
nificant matters identified in the National Defense Strat-
egy, that also addresses each of the following: 
(1) Ways of employing the force in peace time 
to effectively deter strategic competitors below the
1027 
threshold of war while ensuring readiness for poten-
tial conflict. 
(2) Ways of adapting innovative, operational 
concepts needed for strategically significant and 
plausible scenarios related to strategic competitors. 
(3) Ways of addressing operational challenges 
related to achieving the strategic advantage against 
strategic competitors related to nuclear, space, 
cyber, conventional, and unconventional means in 
warfighting doctrine. 
(4) The technologies, force developments, pos-
ture and capabilities, readiness, infrastructure, orga-
nization, personnel, and other elements of the de-
fense program necessary to enable these operational 
concepts and its implementation listed in paragraphs 
(1) through (3). 
(5) The ability of the National Security Innova-
tion Base to support the operational concepts listed 
in paragraphs (1) through (3). 
(6) The resources and defense investments nec-
essary to support the operational concepts and its 
implementation, including budget recommendations. 
(7) The risks associated with the operational 
concepts, including the relationship and tradeoffs be-
tween missions, risks, and resources.
1028 
(8) Measures and metrics to track the effective-
ness of the operational concepts and plans. 
SEC. 1075. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING MODULAR 
AIRBORNE FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM; REPORT. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) Congress established the Modular Airborne 
Fire Fighting System (in this section referred to as 
‘‘MAFFS’’) after civilian fire fighting tanker fleets 
were overwhelmed by the 1970 Laguna Fire that 
killed eight individuals and destroyed 382 homes. 
(2) 
Air 
National 
Guard 
C–130 
aircraft 
equipped with the MAFFS provide emergency capa-
bility to supplement existing commercial tanker sup-
port on wildland fires. 
(3) A MAFFS II unit can discharge its load of 
3,000 gallons of flame retardant in less than five 
seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long 
and 60 feet wide. 
(4) Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve 
units equipped with MAFFS II have provided crit-
ical support in fire fighting response efforts in re-
cent years, including the Camp and Woolsey Fires in 
November 2018.
1029 
(5) The National Guard Bureau is currently de-
veloping a replacement system to the current, aging 
fleet of MAFFS II systems. 
(6) The current MAFFS II system requires sig-
nificant maintenance and repair, including deterio-
rating compression systems, that could reduce 
MAFFS capability in as soon as two years. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) MAFFS provides a necessary capability to 
support national, State, and local fire fighting re-
sponse efforts; 
(2) fire fighting response would be severely af-
fected if MAFFS II or replacement MAFFS systems 
were not available, including reducing the number of 
sorties and drops planes can fly during emergencies; 
and 
(3) the Department of Defense should use 
funding provided under the National Guard and Re-
serve Equipment Account to develop, sustain and 
maintain continued MAFFS capability, including 
IMAFFS systems to replace the current fleet. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit a report to the congressional defense commit-
1030 
tees regarding plans of the Secretary to fund long-term 
sustainment and operation and maintenance of MAFFS 
capabilities, including plans for the National Guard Bu-
reau to submit program objective memoranda for funding 
for lifetime costs to the Department of Defense to be in-
cluded in future Department of Defense Budget Requests, 
including the feasibility of establishing a dedicated pro-
gram-of-record. 
SEC. 1076. REPORT ON BACKLOG OF PERSONNEL SECURITY 
CLEARANCE ADJUDICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and quarterly thereafter 
for five years, the Suitability Executive Agent, shall sub-
mit to Congress a report on the backlog of personnel secu-
rity clearance adjudications. Such report shall include— 
(1) the size of the backlog of personnel security 
clearance adjudications, by agency, for the fiscal 
quarter preceding the quarter during which the re-
port is submitted; 
(2) the average length of time, for each security 
clearance sensitivity level, to carry out an initial ad-
judication and an adjudication following a periodic 
reinvestigation, by agency;
1031 
(3) the number of cases referred to the Consoli-
dated Adjudication Facility of the Department of 
Defense; 
(4) the number of cases adjudicated by the 
Consolidated Adjudication Facility of the Depart-
ment of Defense compared to the number of cases 
deferred to continuous evaluation or vetting; 
(5) the number of adjudicators by agency; and 
(6) a backlog mitigation plan, which shall in-
clude— 
(A) the identification of the cause of, and 
recommendations to remedy, the adjudication 
backlog at Federal agencies; and 
(B) the steps the Suitability Executive 
Agency shall take to reduce the adjudication 
backlog. 
(b) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall be made publicly available. 
SEC. 1077. REPORT ON POLICIES RELATING TO SMALL 
FARMS. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Defense Logistics Agency and the 
Defense Commissary Agency shall submit to the congres-
sional defense committees a report on the programs, poli-
cies, and practices of the Defense Logistics Agency and