both the characterization of these new threats … as well as discriminate better and earlier the mid-course element of the threat that exists today , and finally to target against … hypersonic capabilities [and] other capabilities in the boost phase. . (6) Admiral James Syring, the former Director of the Missile Defense Agency, has stated, From a missile defense perspective, we have to develop a future operational space layer. Given where the threat is going with hypersonics and more ICBMs and so forth this persistent tracking and discrimination capability from space is a must. . (7) General Samuel Greaves, the current Director of the Missile Defense Agency, has stated, that space-based sensors are absolutely critical for the real threat that we see in front of us, the hypersonic threat . (b) Dissociation with ballistic missile defense review Subsection (a) of section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 ( Public Law 115–91 ) is amended by striking If consistent and all that follows through develop and inserting the Director of the Missile Defense Agency shall, in coordination with the Secretary of the Air Force and the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, commence developing . (c) Deployment Such subsection is further amended— (1) by striking (a) In general.— and inserting the following: (a) Development and deployment (1) Development