The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall carry out a Global Research Watch program in accordance with this section.

The goals of the program are as follows:

(1) To monitor and analyze the basic and applied research activities and capabilities of foreign nations and private sector persons in areas of military interest, including allies and competitors.

(2) To provide standards for comparison and comparative analysis of research capabilities of foreign nations and private sector persons in relation to the research capabilities of the United States.

(3) To assist Congress and Department of Defense officials in making investment decisions for research in technical areas where the United States may not be the global leader.

(4) To identify areas where significant opportunities for cooperative research may exist.

(5) To coordinate and promote the international cooperative research and analysis activities of each of the armed forces and Defense Agencies.

(6) To establish and maintain an electronic database on international research capabilities, comparative assessments of capabilities, cooperative research opportunities, and ongoing cooperative programs.

The program shall be focused on research and technologies at a technical maturity level equivalent to Department of Defense basic and applied research programs.

The Assistant Secretary shall coordinate the program with the international cooperation and analysis activities of the military departments and Defense Agencies.

(1) The Assistant Secretary shall coordinate the program with the international cooperation and analysis activities of the military departments and Defense Agencies.

(2) The Secretaries of the military departments and the directors of the Defense Agencies shall provide the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering such assistance as the Assistant Secretary may require for purposes of the program.

Funds available to a military department for a fiscal year for monitoring or analyzing the research activities and capabilities of foreign nations may not be obligated or expended until the Assistant Secretary certifies to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics that the Secretary of such military department has provided the assistance required under paragraph (2).

(A) Funds available to a military department for a fiscal year for monitoring or analyzing the research activities and capabilities of foreign nations may not be obligated or expended until the Assistant Secretary certifies to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics that the Secretary of such military department has provided the assistance required under paragraph (2).

(B) The limitation in subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to alter or effect the availability to a military department of funds for intelligence activities.

Information in electronic databases of the Global Research Watch program shall be maintained in unclassified form and, as determined necessary by the Assistant Secretary, in classified form in such databases.

The requirement to carry out the program under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2025.

(Added Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title II, § 231(a), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1421; amended Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title II, § 232, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2134; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title II, § 211, Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2225; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title IX, § 901(j)(3), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4324; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(c)(2)(B), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1950; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title II, § 215, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 769.)