Report: House Committee-Approved Fiscal 2017 NDAA Contains ‘Open Systems’ Provision

A defense policy bill the House Armed Services Committee approved two weeks ago contains a provision that would require the Defense Department to implement open architecture-based weapon systems “to the maximum extent practicable,” Federal News Radio reported Wednesday.

Jared Serbu writes an earlier version of the committee’s 2017 National Defense Authorization Act had called for the use of open systems in all key DoD weapon programs.

HASC Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) changed the language following the panel’s March 15 release of a public discussion draft of procurement reform proposals, according to the report.

The report said Frank Kendall – undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics — supports the modified NDAA provision regarding open architecture.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to markup its version of the 2017 NDAA this week, according to Serbu’s article.