S.Amdt. 892

SA 892. Mr. HOEVEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle E of title V, add the following:

SEC. ___. CIVILIAN TRAINING FOR NATIONAL GUARD PILOTS AND
SENSOR OPERATOR AIRCREWS OF MQ-9 UNMANNED
AERIAL VEHICLES.

(a) Contracts for Training.--Subject to subsection (c), the
Chief of the National Guard Bureau may enter into one or more
contracts with appropriate civilian entities in order to
provide flying or operating training for National Guard
pilots and sensor operator aircrew members in the MQ-9
unmanned aerial vehicle if the Chief of the National Guard
Bureau determines that--
(1) Air Force training units lack sufficient capacity to
train such pilots or sensor operator aircrew members for
initial qualification in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle;
(2) pilots or sensor operator aircrew members of Air
National Guard units require continuation training in order
to remain current and qualified in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial
vehicle;
(3) non-combat continuation training in the MQ-9 unmanned
aerial vehicle is necessary for such pilots or sensor
operator aircrew members to achieve required levels of flying
or operating proficiency; or
(4) such training for such pilots or sensor operator
aircrew members is necessary in order to meet requirements
for the National Guard to provide pilots and sensor operator
aircrew members qualified in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle
for operations on active duty and in State status.
(b) Nature of Training Under Contracts.--Any training
provided pursuant to a contract under subsection (a) shall
incorporate a level of instruction that is equivalent to the
instruction in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle provided to
pilots and sensor operator aircrew members at Air Force
training units.
(c) Authority Contingent on Certification.--The Chief of
the National Guard Bureau may not use the authority in
subsection (a) unless and until the Secretary of the Air
Force certifies to the congressional defense committees in
writing that the use of the authority is necessary to provide
required flying or operating training for National Guard
pilots and sensor operator aircrew members in the MQ-9
unmanned aerial vehicle.
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