The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has passed its version of the 2021 Defense Policy Bill containing provisions to review the U.S. Space Force’s alternative acquisition procedures and drive domestic satellite production, Space News reported Wednesday.
The House panel voted 56-0 to pass its version of the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an amendment mandating the U.S. comptroller general to conduct an independent review of the U.S. Air Force’s alternative acquisition system for the Space Force.
The comptroller must submit a report to Congress in December containing an analysis of the proposed acquisition procedures to address potential risks of “undermining congressional oversight of major space acquisition programs.”
HASC is also directing the Space Force to report its plans to secure satellites intended for missile-warning activities from 2025 through 2032. Other provisions include the establishment of a U.S. satellite manufacturing program and DoD spending bans for GPS technology-retrofitting efforts to prevent future 5G interference issues.
