To establish the SkyFoundry Program.

This amendment, submitted by Mr. Cruz, aims to add a section to the bill to create the SkyFoundry Program.

The purpose of this program is to encourage the scalable manufacturing, testing, and rapid development of components and small unmanned aircraft systems. The Secretary of Defense may also expand this to other autonomous systems and associated energetics.

Key Details of the Program:

• Administration: The Secretary of Defense will manage the program through the Secretary of the Army as part of the Defense Industrial Resilience Consortium.
• Acquisition: The program will prioritize alternative mechanisms to speed up production and development, such as software acquisition pathways and other transaction authority.
• Facilities: The program requires two specific facilities:
  • An innovation facility for research, development, and testing, which may be operated by United States Special Operations Command and United States Army Materiel Command.
  • A production facility for scalable production, operated by United States Army Materiel Command with industry partners.
• Partnerships: The Secretary can use public-private partnerships involving nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and private industry.
• Infrastructure: The Secretary will prioritize using or modifying existing Army Depot facilities and must select at least two separate sites.
• Rights and Authority: The government must ensure delivery of technical data and rights for technologies developed using Federal funding. Additionally, the President or Secretary of Defense may use the Defense Production Act of 1950 to support the domestic industrial base for these systems.