I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4741 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for modular open system 
architecture in major defense acquisition programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 15, 2016 
Mr. THORNBERRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for mod-
ular open system architecture in major defense acquisi-
tion programs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Acquisition Agility Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Modular open system architecture in development of major weapon sys-
tems. 
Sec. 3. Weapon system component development, prototyping, and deployment. 
Sec. 4. Cost, schedule, and performance of major defense acquisition programs. 
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Sec. 5. Transparency in major defense acquisition programs. 
Sec. 6. Amendments relating to technical data rights. 
SEC. 2. MODULAR OPEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE IN DE-
VELOPMENT OF MAJOR WEAPON SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part IV of subtitle A of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 
144A the following new chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 144B—WEAPON SYSTEMS 
DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED MATTERS 
‘‘Subchapter  
Sec. 
‘‘I. Modular Open System Architecture in Development 
of Weapon Systems ................................................ 2446a 
‘‘II. Weapon System Component Development, Proto-
typing, and Deployment ...................................... 2447a 
‘‘III. Cost, Schedule, and Performance of Major Defense 
Acquisition Programs .......................................... 2448a 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER I—MODULAR OPEN SYSTEM AR-
CHITECTURE IN DEVELOPMENT OF WEAP-
ON SYSTEMS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘2446a. Requirement for modular open system architecture in major defense 
acquisition programs; definitions. 
‘‘2446b. Requirement to address modular open system architecture in program 
capabilities development and acquisition weapon system design. 
‘‘2446c. Requirements relating to availability of major system interfaces and 
support for modular open system architecture. 
‘‘2446d. Requirement to include modular open system architecture in Selected 
Acquisition Reports. 
‘‘§ 2446a. Requirement for modular open system ar-
chitecture in major defense acquisition 
programs; definitions 
‘‘(a) MODULAR OPEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE RE-
QUIREMENT.—A major defense acquisition program initi-
ated after October 1, 2018, shall be designed and devel-
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oped with a modular open system architecture to enable 
incremental development. 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this chapter: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘modular open system architec-
ture’ means, with respect to a major defense acquisi-
tion program, an integrated business and technical 
strategy that— 
‘‘(A) employs a modular design and uses, 
if available and suitable, widely supported and 
consensus-based standards for major system 
interfaces between the major system platform 
being developed under the program and its 
major system components; 
‘‘(B) is subjected to testing to ensure 
major system interfaces comply with widely 
supported and consensus-based standards; and 
‘‘(C) uses a system architecture that allows 
major system components to be incrementally 
added, removed, or replaced throughout the life 
cycle of the major system platform to afford op-
portunities for enhanced competition and inno-
vation while yielding— 
‘‘(i) significant cost savings or avoid-
ance; 
‘‘(ii) schedule reduction; or 
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‘‘(iii) increased interoperability. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘major system platform’ means 
the structure of a major weapon system on which a 
major system component can be mounted or inte-
grated. 
‘‘(3) The term ‘major system component’— 
‘‘(A) means a subsystem or assembly that 
can be mounted or installed on a major system 
platform through well-defined, open major sys-
tem interfaces; and 
‘‘(B) includes a subsystem or assembly 
that is likely to have additional capability re-
quirements, is likely to change because of evolv-
ing technology or threat, is needed for inter-
operability, facilitates incremental deployment 
of capabilities, or is expected to be replaced. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘major system interface’ means 
a shared boundary between a major system platform 
and its major system components, defined by various 
characteristics pertaining to— 
‘‘(A) physical standards for mounting 
major system components; 
‘‘(B) functional standards for integrating 
major system components, such as electrical, 
radio frequency, data, or software elements; and 
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‘‘(C) open intellectual property rights con-
sistent with section 2320 of this title. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘program capability document’ 
means, with respect to a major defense acquisition 
program, a document that specifies capability re-
quirements for the program, such as a capability de-
velopment document or a capability production docu-
ment. 
‘‘(6) The terms ‘program cost target’ and ‘field-
ing target’ have the meanings provided in section 
2448a(a) of this title. 
‘‘(7) The term ‘major defense acquisition pro-
gram’ has the meaning provided in section 2430 of 
this title. 
‘‘(8) The term ‘major weapon system’ has the 
meaning provided in section 2379(f) of this title. 
‘‘§ 2446b. Requirement to address modular open sys-
tem architecture in program capabilities 
development and acquisition weapon sys-
tem design 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM CAPABILITY DOCUMENT.—A program 
capability document for a major defense acquisition pro-
gram shall identify and characterize— 
‘‘(1) the extent to which requirements for sys-
tem performance are likely to evolve during the life 
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