Authority of the Department of Defense to carry out certain prototype projects

Subject to paragraph (2), the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, the Secretary of a military department, or any other official designated by the Secretary of Defense may, under the authority of section 4021 of this title , carry out prototype projects that are directly relevant to enhancing the mission effectiveness of personnel of the Department of Defense or improving platforms, systems, components, or materials proposed to be acquired or developed by the Department of Defense, or to improvement of platforms, systems, components, or materials in use by the armed forces.

(Added Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VIII, § 815(a)(1) , Nov. 25, 2015 , 129 Stat. 893 , § 2371b; amended Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title II, § 216 , title VIII, § 864, Dec. 12, 2017 , 131 Stat. 1328 , 1494; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title II, § 211 , Aug. 13, 2018 , 132 Stat. 1674 ; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1731(a)(46) , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 1814 ; renumbered § 4022 and amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII , §§ 1841(b)(1), (2)(C), 1883(b)(2), Jan. 1, 2021 , 134 Stat. 4243 , 4294; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title VIII, § 821(b) , title XVII, § 1701(u)(2)(B), (F)(i)(IV), Dec. 27, 2021 , 135 Stat. 1825 , 2151; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title VIII , §§ 842, 843, Dec. 23, 2022 , 136 Stat. 2717 , 2718; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title VIII , §§ 821, 822(a), title IX, § 913(a), Dec. 22, 2023 , 137 Stat. 326 , 327, 367; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title VIII , §§ 816–818(a), Dec. 23, 2024 , 138 Stat. 1981 , 1982; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XVII, § 1701(a)(27) , Dec. 18, 2025 , 139 Stat. 1209 .)