§ 167a. Unified combatant command for joint warfighting experimentation: acquisition authority(a) Limited Acquisition Authority for Commander of Certain Unified Combatant Command.—The Secretary of Defense may delegate to the commander of the unified combatant command referred to in subsection (b) authority of the Secretary under chapter 137 of this title sufficient to enable the commander to develop, acquire, and maintain equipment described in subsection (c). The exercise of authority so delegated is subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary. (b) Command Described.—The commander to whom authority is delegated under subsection (a) is the commander of the unified combatant command that has the mission for joint warfighting experimentation, as assigned by the Secretary of Defense. (c) Equipment.—The equipment referred to in subsection (a) is as follows:(1) Equipment for battle management command, control, communications, and intelligence. (2) Any other equipment that the commander referred to in subsection (b) determines necessary and appropriate for—(A) facilitating the use of joint forces in military operations; or (B) enhancing the interoperability of equipment used by the various components of joint forces. (d) Exceptions.—The authority delegated under subsection (a) does not apply to the development or acquisition of a system for which—(1) the total expenditure for research, development, test, and evaluation is estimated to be $10,000,000 or more; or (2) the total expenditure for procurement is estimated to be $50,000,000 or more. (e) Internal Audits and Inspections.—The commander referred to in subsection (b) shall require the inspector general of that command to conduct internal audits and inspections of purchasing and contracting administered by the commander under the authority delegated under subsection (a). (f) Limitation on Authority To Maintain Equipment.—The authority delegated under subsection (a) to maintain equipment is subject to the availability of funds authorized and appropriated specifically for that purpose. (g) Termination.—The Secretary may delegate the authority referred to in subsection (a) only during fiscal years 2004 through 2010, and any authority so delegated shall not be in effect after September 30, 2010. (Added Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title VIII, § 848(a)(1), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1554; amended Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title VIII, § 846(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3391; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title VIII, § 825, Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 227.) Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–181, § 825(a)(1), substituted “, acquire, and maintain” for “and acquire”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 110–181, § 825(a)(3), added subsec. (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 110–181, § 825(a)(2), (b), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g) and substituted “through 2010” for “through 2008” and “September 30, 2010” for “September 30, 2008”.

2006—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “through 2008” for “through 2006” and “September 30, 2008” for “September 30, 2006”.

 Comptroller General Report

Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title VIII, § 848(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1555, required the Comptroller General to review the implementation of this section and submit to Congress a report on such review not later than two years after Nov. 24, 2003.