The Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs convened a hearing yesterday titled “Securing the Skies: Addressing Unauthorized Drone Activity Over U.S. Military Installations.” The hearing aimed to address the increasing threat posed by unauthorized drone incursions over military sites in the United States.
The session highlighted concerns about the rising frequency of drone activity that threatens national security. Members of the subcommittee emphasized the need for clear authoritative measures to counter drone threats, as multiple federal agencies currently share this responsibility, leaving military installations exposed.
Subcommittee Chairman William Timmons (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) committed to working together to propose solutions that enhance military security against aerial threats.
In his opening statement, Chairman Timmons remarked, “These incursions are not from hobbyists being blown off course. The multitude of drones reported flying over bases in the past several years to yield a coordinated effort by our adversaries to collect valuable intelligence and surveillance of some of our most sensitive military equipment. These incursions often are designed to disrupt important training and create chaos.”
Rear Admiral Spedero Jr., Vice Director of Operations, J3, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Department of Defense, testified, “Now, being able to discern hostile intent and hostile act…may be very challenging, as is negligent activity being conducted by someone just flying a drone irresponsibly…So, it can be a challenge here in the homeland to determine that.”
The hearing also revealed technological gaps in drone detection, noted by Rear Admiral Spedero, “In general, the technology to field systems has far outpaced the technology to defeat those systems.” This gap has enabled adversaries to exploit weaknesses in surveillance, intelligence gathering, and potential attacks, including along the southern border.
Mark Roosevelt Ditlevson, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, suggested improvements for U.S. drone response, stating, “You can’t defeat what you can’t see. On the legislative front, we continue to engage with members of Congress to seek modest but important refinements to do these counter UAS authorities under section 130i.”
Concerns about the adaptation and readiness of military bases were raised, with Chairman Timmons questioning the coverage of drone tracking capabilities across installations. Rear Admiral Spedero acknowledged, “[T]he capabilities at each base [are] varied…it is not comprehensive.”
Rep. John McGuire (R-Va.) noted the absence of authority provided under 10 U.S.C. 130i to counter drone threats at the border. Rear Admiral Spedero and Mr. Ditlevson agreed that the implementation of this authority was still in development and essential for enhancing security measures.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) addressed the issue of negligent drone usage diverting attention from genuine security threats. Rear Admiral Spedero indicated that educating the public about responsible drone use had led to a decline in unauthorized sightings.
The hearing served as a platform for military leaders and lawmakers to call for immediate action to fortify defenses against the threat of unauthorized drones.
