This bill would create the "United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative." The Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of Israel's Minister of Defense, would set up a program to expand and speed joint defense research, testing, evaluation, integration, and industrial cooperation between the United States and Israel. Tasks listed in the bill include identifying Israeli-origin or jointly developed technologies for U.S. systems, running collaborative research with government, industry, and universities, helping move technologies into procurement pathways, setting frameworks for joint ventures and U.S.-based co-production, coordinating with many Department of Defense offices, and promoting joint training and information sharing.
The bill lists specific technology areas for cooperation such as counter-unmanned systems, anti-tunneling, missile and air defense (including "Golden Dome for America"), artificial intelligence, quantum and machine learning, directed energy, cyber and electronic warfare, biotechnology and medical defense, network integration, and defense industrial base cooperation. The Secretary of Defense must coordinate the Initiative with the Secretaries of State and Commerce and other agencies.
The bill requires a briefing or written update to congressional defense committees within 180 days after enactment and annual unclassified reports (with classified annexes allowed) describing program activities, progress, technologies transitioned into U.S. acquisition, partnerships, and resource needs. It also directs the Department of Defense to post periodic unclassified updates on a public website to the maximum extent practicable. The bill authorizes $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027, 2028, and 2029 to carry out the Act.
The bill directs the Department of Defense to set up a formal U.S.-Israel partnership focused on faster joint development and U.S. integration of certain defense technologies. It calls for reports to Congress and public, unclassified updates when possible. The text does not detail specific impacts on individual citizens, businesses, or particular military units beyond the stated program activities.
The bill authorizes $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2029 to carry out the Act. No publicly available information on total costs beyond these authorized amounts or on how funds will be allocated among activities is included in the bill text.
The bill includes a "Sense of Congress" section that describes reasons for the Initiative: the United States and Israel share democratic values and strategic interests; Israel is a strategic ally and defense technology leader; past U.S.-Israel cooperation has produced advances in missile defense and other areas; expanding cooperation in emerging domains will help maintain Israel's qualitative military edge and strengthen U.S. military capabilities and technological leadership. The bill frames the Initiative as a way to accelerate useful technologies into U.S. systems and to grow American technological supremacy.
No publicly available information.