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D Statement of Task and Congressional Language The conference report accompanying the FY 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R 5631/Public Law 109-289) directed the National Acad- emy of Sciences to conduct a study to analyze the mission requirement for using existing Trident II (D5) missiles with conventional payloads to provide a prompt global strike capability and, where appropriate, consider and recommend alter- natives that meet the prompt global strike mission in the near term (1-2 years), mid-term (3-5 years), and the long term. The study should include analyses of the military, political, and international issues associated with each alternative. The study should consider technology options for achieving desired objectives as well as mitigating policy concerns. This 15-month study will produce two reports: (1) a letter report following the second full committee meeting that summarizes the requirements and support- ing enablers for a conventional prompt global strike capability and recommends a near-term option or options to provide this capability; and (2) a comprehensive report that addresses the full terms of reference as outlined above. Following is the congressional language regarding prompt global strike con- tained in the conference report requesting this study: The budget request includes $127,000,000 to demonstrate the feasibility of us- ing existing TRIDENT II (D-5) missiles with conventional payloads to provide a prompt global strike capability. The conferees believe that fundamental issues about the requirement for and use of this weapon must be addressed prior to â aking Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, M 2007, and for Other Purposes: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5631, H. Rept. 109-676, pp. 227-228, 109th Cong., 2d sess. (September 25, 2006). 183
184 U.S. Conventional Prompt Global Strike determining the efficacy of this program. Therefore, the conferees are providing $5,000,000 in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide for a study to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences to analyze the mission requirement and, where appropriate, consider and recommend alterna- tives that meet the prompt global strike mission in the near term (1-2 years), the mid-term (3-5 years), and the long term. The study should include analyses of the military, political and international issues associated with each alternative. The study should consider technology options for achieving desired objectives as well as mitigating policy concerns. The study is due to the congressional defense com- mittees by March 15, 2007. In addition, the conferees are providing $20,000,000 in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy for developmental efforts under the Conventional Trident Modification program. These funds should be used to focus on those developmental items which are common to all the global strike alternatives until the completion of the study and a determination has been made on the best course of action in this matter. â aking Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, M 2007, and for Other Purposes: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5631, H. Rept. 109-676, pp. 227-228, 109th Cong., 2d sess. (September 25, 2006).
