105 STAT. 1316 PUBLIC LAW 102-190—DEC. 5, 1991 evaluation in connection with the special operations variant of the V-22 Osprey aircraft. SEC. 212. EXTENSION OF PROHIBITION ON TESTING MID-INFRARED AD- VANCED CHEMICAL LASER AGAINST AN OBJECT IN SPACE. The Secretary of Defense may not carry out a test of the Mid- Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser (MIRACL) transmitter and associated optics against an object in space during 1992 unless such testing is specifically authorized by law. SEC. 213. A-(X) ADVANCED TACTICAL AIRCRAFT, NAVY. The Secretary of Defense may not classify the total acquisition cost and the acquisition schedule for the A-(X) (next-generation naval attack aircraft) program at the level of special access classification. SEC. 214. F -22 ADVANCED TACTICAL FIGHTER AIRCRAFT PROGRAM, AIR FORCE. (a) FINDINGS. —Congress finds— (1) that the emphasis placed on manufacturing in the next phase of the F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) aircraft program is a correct and significant step toward an appropriate acquisition system for the 1990s and beyond; (2) that the objective of the next phase of the ATF program, known as the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase, should be to complete a production representative design (verified by testing production protot3^es) with known cost and minimal risk for the Production Phase; and (3) that the Air Force, having demonstrated satisfactory ATF system performance in the Demonstration Validation Phase, should give priority in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase to investing in ATF manufacturing technologies over improving ATF performance. (b) MANUFACTURING AND AFFORDABILITY. — The Secretary of the Air Force shall elevate manufacturing considerations during the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase of the ATF program— (1) by accepting small reductions in aircraft performance, if necessary, to achieve a more producible and affordable production design; (2) by directing the contractor to evaluate a wide selection of alternative production processes and technologies (including use of commercial standards or practices of manufacturing technology) for production of the aircraft; and (3) by investing funds in those processes and technologies evaluated pursuant to paragraph (2) which have the highest cost or quality return on investment, with the objective of further lowering production costs and improving supportability. (c) REPORT.— The Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report covering the production processes evaluated under subsection (b)(2) and the analysis supporting those processes which are ultimately selected under subsection (b)(3) for use in production. The report shall be submitted before fabrication of the first production prototype airframe is begun.
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