S.Amdt. 6537

SA 6537. Mr. LEE (for himself and Mr. Curtis) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense

[[Page S3674]]

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 appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. REPORT ON FIELDING OF LINK 16 TACTICAL DATA LINK
NETWORKING CAPABILITIES ON CERTAIN ARMY
AIRCRAFT.

(a) Report Required.--Not later than December 1, 2026, the
Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional
defense committees a report on the plans and actions of the
Army to field Link 16 tactical data link networking
capabilities on UH-60M and CH-47F aircraft.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:
(1) A description of the current and planned fielding of
Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on AH-64E,
UH-60M, and CH-47F aircraft.
(2) An assessment of how Link 16 tactical data link
networking capabilities on AH-64E, UH-60M, and CH-47F
aircraft contribute to the Army's next generation command and
control efforts.
(3) An assessment of how such capabilities support
interoperability among Army rotary-wing aircraft, joint force
platforms, and allied and partner platforms.
(4) An assessment of the operational benefits of fielding
Link 16 tactical data link networking capabilities on UH-60M
and CH-47F aircraft, including with respect to safety of
flight, situational awareness, contested logistics, and
operations involving manned and unmanned platforms operating
in shared airspace.
(5) A description of any technical, operational,
programmatic, budgetary, or policy barriers to fielding Link
16 tactical data link networking capabilities on UH-60M and
CH-47F aircraft.
(6) A plan and timeline for addressing such barriers and
fielding such capabilities, as appropriate.
(c) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified
annex.
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