S. 1071
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Sponsor: John Cornyn
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2026 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, military construction, and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill also sets forth policies and authorities for the Department of State, the Coast Guard, and the Intelligence Community (IC).
Among other elements, the bill
- authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft, ships, and missiles;
- sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels;
- sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation;
- sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities and domestic sourcing;
- sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific;
- sets policy for various matters related to DOD cyber operations, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence;
- authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years;
- authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Naval Petroleum Reserves, and Maritime Administration;
- sets policy regarding the organization and workforce of the State Department;
- sets acquisition and personnel policy for the Coast Guard;
- sets policy for merchant mariner credentials, vessel safety, and oil pollution response; and
- sets policy for the IC regarding artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see
- In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA, and
- In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process.
Text of the bill
A Department of Defense Authorizations
I Procurement
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Army Programs
C Navy Programs
D Air Force Programs
E Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters
II Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations
(a) Authority. The Secretary of Defense shall establish an alternative test and evaluation pathway as described in subsection (b) for covered programs to enhance agility, accelerate delivery of capabilities, and ensure data-driven decisionmaking, while maintaining independent oversight of evaluation outcomes.
(b) Elements. The pathway required by subsection (a) shall include the following elements:
(1) For each covered program, the Secretary of the military department concerned, through its service test activities, shall—
(A) develop and implement a unified test and evaluation strategy that aligns developmental testing and operational testing to a single set of test objectives that build system understanding throughout the test program to more effectively support capability delivery within rapid prototyping and iterative updates with early and continuous operational feedback;
(B) develop and implement a test data strategy that includes—
(i) collection of raw data from system components during test events and operational activities, including submission of industry-derived data from their development and testing evolutions;
(ii) evaluation criteria to assess the mission effects and suitability of the system based on the data to be collected, including from live-fire test events, if applicable;
(iii) a process for independently validating industry-derived data, if needed;
(iv) provision of resources for automated data collection, storage, and access; and
(v) automated analytics tools to assess performance trends, reliability, and maintenance needs;
(C) incorporate, to the maximum extent practicable, best practices such as—
(i) hardware-in-the-loop testing to validate system integration;
(ii) continuous data collection from prototypes and fielded systems to refine designs and update lifecycle costs;
(iii) testing subsystem prototypes throughout system development to assess their contribution to the mission effect of the fielded system; and
(iv) integration of supporting or complementary data from digital twins or other model-based systems engineering tools;
(D) define general test and evaluation objectives and data needs while allowing detailed execution plans to evolve based on test results and emerging requirements, avoiding rigid milestone-driven schedules; and
(E) ensure all raw test data and associated analytics are owned by the Federal Government, stored in accessible repositories, and available to authorized Department entities, including the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, throughout the program lifecycle.
(2) Each such covered program shall be exempt from—
(A) any requirement in law, regulation, or policy, including Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02 or other policies, to develop and submit a test and evaluation master plan, as long as a unified test and evaluation strategy and test data strategy are implemented, as required by subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1);
(B) any requirement in law, regulation, or policy to conduct any milestone-specific operational test event, such as the requirement in section 4171 of title 10, United States Code, to conduct initial operational test and evaluation; and
(C) any other test and evaluation documentation or approval process that the Secretary determines is inconsistent with the agile and iterative nature of this pathway.
(c) Role of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. For each covered program designated for oversight by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shall—
(1) provide independent evaluation of test data across all phases of the program lifecycle, including—
(A) assessing the sufficiency of the program’s test and evaluation strategy and data strategy to demonstrate military effectiveness;
(B) evaluating whether the program collects and analyzes sufficient raw data, learns from test results at a pace relevant to operational needs, and converges on military effectiveness based on data trends;
(C) identifying deficiencies in test and evaluation strategies that risk system performance, suitability, or survivability; and
(D) providing continuous oversight through ongoing analysis of test data;
(2) have unrestricted access to all raw test data, data repositories, and analytics maintained by the military departments for the covered program;
(3) not require of the covered program—
(A) any specific test plan, execution method, or documentation format, or any pre-approval of test and evaluation activities, as a condition of testing, data collection, or evaluation; or
(B) any Director of Operational Test and Evaluation-approved test and evaluation master plan or other pre-execution documentation under existing policies; and
(4) include in the annual report required under section 139(h) of title 10, United States Code, a summary of the adequacy of data strategies, rates of learning, and risks that aligns with the evaluation processes established in this section.
(d) Guidance required. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, shall issue guidance to implement the alternative test and evaluation pathway under this section, including standards for data strategies and modern testing practices and procedures to support evaluation by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation under subsection (c).
(e) Report. Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of this section, including an assessment of the effectiveness of the pathway in accelerating capability delivery and improving system performance and any recommendations for expanding or modifying the pathway.
(f) Covered program defined. In this section, the term covered program means the following:
(1) A defense acquisition program that the Secretary of Defense designates, on or after the date on which guidance is issued under subsection (d), for use of the alternative test and evaluation pathway under this section.
(2) A defense acquisition program relating to software and covered hardware initiated on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
C Biotechnology Matters
D Plans, Reports, and Other Matters
III Operation and Maintenance
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Energy and Environment
C Logistics and Sustainment
D Matters Relating to Munitions
E Other Matters
IV Military Personnel Authorizations
A Active Forces
B Reserve Forces
C Authorization of Appropriations; Reports
V Military Personnel Policy
A Officer Policy
B Reserve Component Management
C General Service Authorities and Military Records
D Recruitment and Accession
E Member Training
F Member Education
G Military Justice and Other Legal Matters
H Career Transition
I Family Programs, Child Care, and Dependent Education
J Decorations and Awards, Reports, and Other Matters
VI Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits
A Basic Pay and Retired Pay
B Bonus, Incentive, and Separation Pays
C Allowances
D Leave
E Family and Survivor Benefits
F Defense Resale Matters
G Other Benefits, Administrative Matters, Reports, and Briefings
VII Health Care Provisions
A TRICARE and Other Health Benefits
B Health Care Administration
C Studies, Reports, and Other Matters
VIII Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters
A Acquisition Policy and Management
B Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations
C Provisions Relating to Workforce Development
D Provisions Relating to Supply Chains and Domestic Sourcing
E Prohibitions and Limitations on Procurement
F Industrial Base Matters
G Other Matters
IX Department of Defense Organization and Management
A Office of the Secretary of Defense and Related Matters
B Other Department of Defense Organization and Management Matters
X General Provisions
A Financial Matters
B Counterdrug Activities
C Naval Vessels and Shipyards
D Counterterrorism
E Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations
F Studies and Reports
G Other Matters
XI Civilian Personnel
XII Matters relating to foreign nations
A Assistance and training
B Foreign military sales and related processes
C Matters relating to the Middle East
D Matters relating to Israel
E Matters relating to Europe, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation
F Matters relating to the Indo-Pacific region
G Matters relating to Asia
H Other matters
XIV Other Authorizations
A Military Programs
B National Defense Stockpile
C Other Matters
XV Cyberspace-related Matters
A Cyber Operations
B Cybersecurity
C Information Technology and Data Management
D Artificial Intelligence
E Reports and Other Matters
XVI Space Activities, Strategic Programs, and Intelligence Matters
A Space Activities
B Defense Intelligence and Intelligence-Related Activities
C Nuclear Forces
D Missile Defense Programs
E Matters Relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
F Matters Relating to Electromagnetic Warfare
G Other Matters
XVII Other Defense Matters
XVIII Acquisition Reform
A Alignment of the Defense Acquisition System
B Requirements Process Reform
C Matters Relating to Commercial Products and Commercial Services
D Improvements to Acquisition Programs
E Modifications to Strengthen the Industrial Base
B Military Construction Authorizations
XXI Army Military Construction
XXII Navy Military Construction
XXIII Air Force Military Construction
XXIV Defense Agencies Military Construction
XXV International Programs
A North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program
B Host Country In-Kind Contributions
XXVI Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities
XXVII Base Realignment and Closure Activities
XXVIII Military Construction General Provisions
A Military Construction Programs
B Military Housing Reforms
C Real Property and Facilities Administration
D Land Conveyances
E Modifications to Unspecified Minor Military Construction
F Other Matters
C Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations
XXXI Department of Energy National Security Programs
A National Security Programs and Authorizations
B Program Authorizations, Restrictions, and Limitations
C Reports and Other Matters
XXXII Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
XXXIV Naval Petroleum Reserves
XXXV Maritime Administration
D Funding Tables
XLI Procurement
XLII Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
XLIII Operation and Maintenance
XLIV Military Personnel
XLV Other Authorizations
XLVI Military Construction
XLVII Department of Energy National Security Programs
E Department of State Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
I Organization and operations
A Management and consular affairs
B Human resources
C Political affairs
D Other matters
II Workforce matters
III Information security and cyber diplomacy
IV Public diplomacy
V Diplomatic security
VI Miscellaneous
F Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
LXI Intelligence Activities
LXII Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System
LXIII Intelligence Community Matters
LXIV Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness
LXV Matters Relating to Elements of the Intelligence Community
A Central Intelligence Agency
B Elements of Department of Defense
C Federal Bureau of Investigation
LXVI Artificial Intelligence and Other Emerging Technologies
A Artificial Intelligence
B Biotechnology
C Other matters
LXVII Matters Relating to Foreign Countries
A Matters Relating to China
B Other Matters
LXVIII Reports and Other Matters
G Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
LXXI Coast Guard
A Authorization of appropriations
B Accountability
LXXII Organization, Authorities, Acquisition, and Personnel of the Coast Guard
A Authorities
B Acquisition
C Personnel
D Coast Guard Academy
E Reports and Policies
LXXIII Shipping and Navigation
A Merchant Mariner Credentials
B Vessel Safety
C Ports
D Matters Involving Uncrewed Systems
E Other Matters
LXXIV Oil Pollution Response
LXXV Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Response
A Accountability Implementation
B Misconduct
C Other matters
LXXVI Comptroller General Reports
LXXVII Amendments
H Other Matters
LXXXI Financial Services Matters
LXXXII Judiciary Matters
LXXXIII Foreign Affairs Matters
A Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025
B BUST Fentanyl Act
C Western Balkans democracy and prosperity
D Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025
E Other Matters
LXXXIV National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
B South Pacific Tuna Treaty matters
C Other Matters
LXXXV Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act of 2025
A General Matters
B Imposition of Sanctions
C Prohibition and notification on investments relating to covered national security transactions
D Securities and Related Matters
LXXXVI Securing the Airspace, Facilitating Emergency Response, and Safeguarding Key Infrastructure, Entertainment Venues, and Stadiums
LXXXVII DFC Modernization and Reauthorization Act of 2025
A Definitions and Less Developed Country Focus
B Management of Corporation
C Authorities Relating to the Provision of Support
D Other Matters
LXXXVIII Other Matters