To modify the multiyear procurement authority for C-17 aircraft.

SA 2477. Mr. TALENT (for himself, Mr. Warner, Mr. Stevens, Mr.
Chambliss, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms.
Collins, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Inhofe) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1042, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel
strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other
purposes; as follows:

Strike section 131 and insert the following:

SEC. 131. C-17 AIRCRAFT PROGRAM AND INTER-THEATER AIRLIFT
REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Multiyear Procurement Authorized.--The Secretary of the
Air Force may, in accordance with section 2306b of title 10,
United States Code, enter into a multiyear contract,
beginning with the fiscal year 2006 program year, for the
procurement of up to 42 additional C-17 aircraft.
(b) Certification Required.--Before the exercise of the
authority in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a
certification that the additional airlift capacity to be
provided by the C-17 aircraft to be procured under the
authority is consistent with the quadrennial defense review
under section 118 of title 10, United States Code, to be
submitted to Congress with the budget of the President for
fiscal year 2007 (as submitted under section 1105(a) of title
31, United States Code), as qualified by subsection (c).
(c) Additional Explanation of Inter-Theater Airlift
Requirements.--
(1) Inclusion in quadrennial defense review.--The Secretary
of Defense shall, as part of the quadrennial defense review
in 2005 and in accordance with the provisions of section
118(d)(9) of title 10, United States Code, carry out an
assessment of the inter-theater airlift capabilities required
to support the national defense strategy.
(2) Additional information.--In including the assessment
required by paragraph (1) in the quadrennial defense review
as required by that paragraph, the Secretary shall explain
how the recommendations for future airlift force structure
requirements in that quadrennial defense review take into
account the following:
(A) The increased airlift demands associated with the Army
modular brigade combat teams.
(B) The objective to deliver a brigade combat team anywhere
in the world within four to seven days, a division within 10
days, and multiple divisions within 20 days.
(C) The increased airlift demands associated with the
expanded scope of operational activities of the Special
Operations forces.
(D) The realignment of the overseas basing structure in
accordance with the Integrated Presence and Basing Strategy.

[[Page S12621]]

(E) Adjustments in the force structure to meet homeland
defense requirements.
(F) The potential for simultaneous homeland defense
activities and major combat operations.
(G) Potential changes in requirements for intra-theater
airlift or sealift capabilities.
(d) Maintenance of C-17 Aircraft Production Line.--In the
event the Secretary of Defense is unable to make the
certification specified in subsection (b), the Secretary of
the Air Force should procure sufficient C-17 aircraft to
maintain the C-17 aircraft production line at not less than
the minimum sustaining rate until sufficient flight test data
regarding improved C-5 aircraft mission capability rates as a
result of the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program
and Avionics Modernization Program have been obtained to
determine the validity of assumptions concerning the C-5
aircraft used in the Mobility Capabilities Study.
______