flexible manufacturing systems, associated computer 
software, and other technology designed to improve 
shipbuilding and related industrial productivity. 
(2) Novel techniques and processes designed to 
improve shipbuilding quality, productivity, and prac-
tice on a broad and sustained basis, including in such 
areas as engineering design, quality assurance, con-
current engineering, continuous process production 
technology, employee skills enhancement, and manage-
ment of customers and suppliers. 
(3) Technology, techniques, and processes appro-
priate to enhancing the productivity of shipyard in-
frastructure. 
(d) SELECTION OF PARTICIPATING ENTITIES.—Using 
the applications submitted under subsection (c), the Sec-
retary of the Navy shall select entities to receive funds under 
subsection (a)(1) based on their ability to research and de-
velop innovative technologies, processes, and infrastructure 
to alleviate areas of shipyard construction inefficiencies dis-
covered under the assessment described in subsection (f). 
(e) SHIPYARD USE OF DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES, 
PROCESSES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.—Upon making a de-
termination that a technology, process, or infrastructure 
improvement developed using funds provided under sub-
section (a)(1) will improve the productivity and cost-effec-
tiveness of naval vessel construction, the Secretary of the 
Navy may provide funds under subsection (a)(2) to a ship-
yard to facilitate the purchase of such technology, process, 
or infrastructure improvement. 
(f) ASSESSMENTS OF NAVAL VESSEL CONSTRUCTION 
INEFFICIENCIES.— 
(1) PERIODIC
ASSESSMENTS
REQUIRED.—The 
Secretary of the Navy shall conduct, in the third 
quarter of each fiscal year or as often as necessary, 
an assessment of the following aspects of naval vessel 
construction to determine where and to what extent 
inefficiencies exist and to what extent innovative de-
sign and production technologies, processes, and in-
frastructure can be developed to alleviate such ineffi-
ciencies: 
(A) Program design, engineering, and pro-
duction engineering. 
(B) Organization and operating systems. 
(C) Steelwork production. 
(D) Ship construction and outfitting. 
(2) RELATION TO INDEPENDENT NAVY SHIP CON-
STRUCTION ASSESSMENT.—The assessments required 
by paragraph (1) shall occur subsequent to, and take 
into consideration the results of, the study of the cost 
effectiveness of the ship construction program of the
Navy required by section 1014 of the Ronald W. 
Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2005 (Public Law 108–375; 118 Stat. 2041). 
(g) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Of the amount author-
ized to be appropriated pursuant to section 201(2) for re-
search, development, test, and evaluation for the Navy, 
$100,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of the Navy 
only to provide assistance under this section. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘shipyard’’ means a private ship-
yard located in the United States whose business in-
cludes the construction, repair, and maintenance of 
United States naval vessels. 
(2) The term ‘‘vessel’’ has the meaning given 
such term in title 1, United States Code. 
SEC. 226. RENEWAL OF UNIVERSITY NATIONAL OCEANO-
GRAPHIC LABORATORY SYSTEM FLEET. 
(a) PROGRAM PLAN.—The Secretary of the Navy shall 
develop a plan for a program to renew the University Na-
tional Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) fleet. 
The Secretary shall include in the plan provisions for the 
construction of up to four Ocean-class ships. 
(b) FUNDING FOR PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND FEASI-
BILITY STUDIES.—Of the amount provided in section 201 
for fiscal year 2006 for the Navy, $4,000,000 is available,
through Program Element PE 63564N (Ship Preliminary 
Design and Feasibility Studies), to conduct feasibility as-
sessments and initiate design of the first Ocean-class ship 
that would be constructed under the program referred to in 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 227. LIMITATION ON VXX HELICOPTER PROGRAM. 
No funds available to the Department of Defense for 
research, development, test, and evaluation, or for procure-
ment, may be obligated for acquisition of pilot production 
helicopters for the VXX helicopter program until the Sec-
retary of the Navy certifies to the congressional defense com-
mittees that the results of tests conducted by the fleet of test 
article helicopters for the VXX program demonstrate that 
VXX helicopters in the VXX mission configuration can be 
produced without significant further design modification. 
Subtitle C—Missile Defense 
Programs 
SEC. 231. REPORT ON CAPABILITIES AND COSTS FOR OPER-
ATIONAL BOOST/ASCENT-PHASE MISSILE DE-
FENSE SYSTEMS. 
(a) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASSESSMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall conduct an assessment of the United 
States missile defense programs that are designed to provide 
capability against threat ballistic missiles in the boost/as-
cent phase of flight.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the assessment shall be 
to compare and contrast— 
(1) capabilities of those programs (if oper-
ational) to defeat, while in the boost/ascent phase of 
flight, ballistic missiles launched from North Korea or 
a location in the Middle East against the continental 
United States, Alaska, or Hawaii; and 
(2) asset requirements and costs for those pro-
grams to become operational with the capabilities re-
ferred to in paragraph (1). 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than October 1, 2006, the Sec-
retary shall submit to Congress a report providing the re-
sults of the assessment. 
SEC. 232. REQUIRED FLIGHT-INTERCEPT TEST OF BAL-
LISTIC 
MISSILE 
DEFENSE 
GROUNDBASED 
MIDCOURSE SYSTEM. 
Of the amount provided for the Missile Defense Agency 
in section 201(4) for defense-wide research, development, 
test, and evaluation, the amount of $100,000,000, in addi-
tion to amounts otherwise available for the Ballistic Missile 
Defense Midcourse Defense Segment, shall be provided to 
conduct one flight-intercept test of the Ballistic Missile De-
fense Groundbased Midcourse system in addition to the 
flight tests planned for that system as of the submission of 
the President’s budget for fiscal year 2006. The interceptor