To conduct a study on the need for national centers of excellence on unmanned aerial vehicles.

1. Adds SEC. 1022. REPORT ON ESTABLISHING NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED AERIAL AND GROUND VEHICLES on page 247, between lines 13 and 14

   Adds a sectionPrinted page

   Inserted: SEC. 1022. REPORT ON ESTABLISHING NATIONAL CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED AERIAL AND GROUND VEHICLES.

   Inserted: (a) Report Required.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the need for one or more national centers of excellence for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (b) Goal of Centers.--The goal of the centers covered by the report is to promote interservice cooperation and coordination in the following areas:

   Inserted: (1) Development of joint doctrine for the organization, training, and use of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (2) Joint research, development, test, and evaluation, and joint procurement of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (3) Identification and coordination, in conjunction with the private sector and academia, of the future development of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (4) Monitoring of the development and utilization of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles in other nations for both military and non-military purposes.

   Inserted: (5) The providing of joint training and professional development opportunities in the use and operation of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles to military personnel of all ranks and levels of responsibility.

   Inserted: (c) Report Requirements.--The report shall include, at a minimum, the following:

   Inserted: (1) A list of facilities where the Defense Department currently conducts or plans to conduct research, development, and testing activities on unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (2) A list of facilities where the Department of Defense currently deploys or has committed to deploying unmanned aerial or ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (3) The extent to which existing facilities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) have sufficient unused capacity and expertise to research, develop, test, and deploy the current and next generations of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles and to provide for the development of doctrine on the use and training of operators of such vehicles.

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   Inserted: (4) The extent to which efficiencies on research, development, testing, and deployment of existing or future unmanned aerial and ground vehicles can be achieved through consolidation at one or more national centers of excellence for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.

   Inserted: (5) A list of potential locations for national centers of excellence.

   Inserted: (d) Considerations.--In determining the potential locations for the national centers of excellence under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall take into consideration existing Air Force facilities that have--

   Inserted: (1) a workforce of skilled personnel;

   Inserted: (2) existing capacity of runways and other facilities to accommodate the research, testing, and deployment of current and future unmanned aerial vehicles; and

   Inserted: (3) minimal restrictions on the research, development, and testing of unmanned aerial vehicles resulting from proximity to large population centers or airspace heavily utilized by commercial flights.

   Original wording

   On page 247, between lines 13 and 14, insert the following:

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As printed