Us Code § 346 - Distribution to certain foreign personnel of education and training materials and information technology to enhance military interoperability with the armed forces

§ 346. Distribution to certain foreign personnel of education and training materials and information technology to enhance military interoperability with the armed forces

(a) Distribution Authorized.—To enhance interoperability between the armed forces and military forces of friendly foreign countries, the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, may—

(1) provide to personnel referred to in subsection (b) electronically-distributed learning content for the education and training of such personnel for the development or enhancement of allied and friendly military and civilian capabilities for multinational operations, including joint exercises and coalition operations; and

(2) provide information technology, including computer software developed for such purpose, but only to the extent necessary to support the use of such learning content for the education and training of such personnel.

(b) Authorized Recipients.—The personnel to whom learning content and information technology may be provided under subsection (a) are military and civilian personnel of a friendly foreign government, with the permission of that government.

(c) Education and Training.—Any education and training provided under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) Internet-based education and training.

(2) Advanced distributed learning and similar Internet learning tools, as well as distributed training and computer-assisted exercises.

(d) Applicability of Export Control Regimes.—The provision of learning content and information technology under this section shall be subject to the provisions of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) and any other export control regime under law relating to the transfer of military technology to foreign countries.

(e) Guidance on Utilization of Authority.—

(1) Guidance required.—The Secretary of Defense shall develop and issue guidance on the procedures for the use of the authority in this section.

(2) Modification.—If the Secretary modifies the guidance issued under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth the modified guidance not later than 30 days after the date of such modification.

(Added Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title XII, §1205(a)(1), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4623, §2249d; renumbered §346 and amended Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(h), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2507.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Arms Export Control Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 90–629, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1320, which is classified principally to chapter 39 (§2751 et seq.) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2751 of Title 22 and Tables.

Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–328, §1241(h)(1), renumbered section 2249d of this title as this section.

Subsecs. (a), (d). Pub. L. 114–328, §1241(h)(2)(A), substituted "countries" for "nations".

Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 114–328, §1241(h)(2)(B), struck out subsecs. (f) and (g) which, respectively, required the Secretary of Defense to submit annual reports to the appropriate committees of Congress and defined "appropriate committees of Congress".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title XII, §1205(d), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4625, provided that: "This section [enacting this section and provisions set out as notes under this section] and the amendments made by this section shall take effect on October 1, 2008."

Authority To Provide Mission Training Through Distributed Simulation

Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XII, §1210, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 449, provided that:

"(a) Authority for Training and Distribution.—To enhance the interoperability and integration between the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of friendly foreign countries, effective beginning on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (d), the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, is authorized—

"(1) to provide to military personnel of a friendly foreign country persistent advanced networked training and exercise activities (in this section referred to as 'mission training through distributed simulation'); and

"(2) to provide information technology related to mission training through distributed simulation, including hardware and computer software developed for such activities.

"(b) Scope of Mission Training.—Mission training through distributed simulation provided under subsection (a) may include advanced distributed network training events and computer-assisted exercises.

"(c) Guidance on Use of Authority.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 2023], the Secretary of Defense shall develop and issue guidance on the procedures for the use of the authority provided in this section.

"(d) Report.—

"(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the anticipated use of mission training through distributed simulation by military personnel of friendly foreign countries.

"(2) Elements.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

"(A) A description of anticipated mission training through distributed simulation activities between the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of friendly foreign countries.

"(B) A description of the current capabilities of the military forces of friendly foreign countries to support mission training through distributed simulation activities with the United States Armed Forces.

"(C) A description of the manner in which the Department intends to use mission training through distributed simulation activities to support implementation of the National Defense Strategy, including in areas of responsibility of the United States European Command and the United States Indo-Pacific Command.

"(D) Any recommendation of the Secretary of Defense for legislative proposals or policy guidance regarding the use of mission training through distributed simulation activities.

"(3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.—In this subsection, the term 'appropriate committees of Congress' means—

"(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and

"(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

"(e) Sunset.—The authority provided in this section shall terminate on December 31, 2025."

Guidance on Utilization of Authority

Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title XII, §1205(b), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4624, provided that:

"(1) Submittal to congress.—Not later than 30 days after issuing the guidance required by section 2249d(e) [now 346(e)] of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth such guidance.

"(2) Utilization of similar guidance.—In developing the guidance required by section 2249d(e) [now 346(e)] of title 10, United States Code, as so added, the Secretary may utilize applicable portions of the current guidance developed by the Secretary under subsection (f) of section 1207 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 120 Stat. 2419) for purposes of the exercise of the authority in such section 1207."