S1802-118

2. Fund for conduct of collaborative defense projects between the United States and Israel in emerging technologies Congress makes the following findings: The strategic partnership between the United States and Israel is mutually beneficial, reinforcing shared moral values and security interests while promoting peace and regional stability. A strong strategic relationship between the United States and Israel, and enhanced bilateral cooperation between such countries in defense, homeland security, cybersecurity, space, and other key areas, ensure that both countries can confront current and future emerging defense challenges. Israel is a global leader and innovator in the development of defense technology and is one of the closest foreign defense partners of the United States. On September 14, 2016, the United States and Israel signed a 10-year memorandum of understanding reaffirming the importance of continuing annual United States military assistance to Israel (and other defense programs in areas such as missile defense, counter tunneling, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems) in a way that enhances the security of Israel and strengthens the bilateral relationship between the two countries. On July 12, 2022, President Joe Biden and former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid committed to elevating the strategic partnership between the United States and Israel to new heights by launching the Strategic High-Level Dialogue on Technology, tasked with establishing a technological partnership between the United States and Israel with respect to critical and emerging technologies and solutions to global challenges. On July 14, 2022, President Joe Biden and former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed a joint declaration, entitled the Jerusalem U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration, that reaffirms the steadfast commitment of the United States to strengthening the self-defense capability of Israel and to moving forward the U.S.-Israel defense partnership through cooperation in cutting-edge defense technologies such as high energy laser weapons systems to defend the skies of Israel and in the future those of other U.S. and Israel security partners. Since 2016, Congress has appropriated $320,000,000 for counter-tunneling cooperation between the United States (specifically the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate of the Department of Defense) and Israel, which has resulted in the development of counter-tunnel technology that enhances the capability of the United States and Israel to deal with tunnel threats at the borders of such countries and elsewhere. Since 2020, Congress has appropriated $88,000,000 for counter-unmanned aircraft systems cooperation between the United States (specifically the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate of the Department of Defense) and Israel, which has resulted in the co-development of counter-unmanned aircraft systems for use by the United States Armed Forces, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. In January 2023, the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate of the Department of Defense awarded Israel Aerospace Industries a multi-million dollar contract to rapidly develop and deliver a loitering munition known as ROC–X to provide ground-based tactical forces with more precise capabilities and to improve the safety and security of United States warfighters. Over the last few years, the Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate of the Department of Defense and the Directorate of Defense Research and Engineering of the Ministry of Defense of Israel have hosted a competition known as the MOSAIC Challenge for the purpose of identifying cutting-edge hardware and software solutions to address challenging and longstanding technological gaps relating to remote autonomous indoor maneuverability. It is the policy of the United States to support and encourage further defense collaboration with Israel in areas of emerging technologies that may enable the development of the warfare capabilities of the United States and Israel so as to meet emerging defense challenges, including with respect to the areas of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, directed energy, and automation. The Secretary of Defense shall establish a fund, to be known as the United States-Israel Future of Warfare Research and Development Fund (in this section referred to as the Fund). Amounts in the Fund shall be available for the conduct of collaborative defense projects between the United States and Israel in areas of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, and directed energy, for the purpose of enabling the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of Israel to meet emerging defense challenges. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.