[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 155 (Wednesday, December 5, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7461-S7636]
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013
On Tuesday, November 4, 2012, the Senate passed S. 3254, as follows:
S. 3254
[...]
SEC. 1046. INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
SYSTEMS.
(a) Findings on Joint Department of Defense Federal
Aviation Administration Executive Committee on Conflict and
Dispute Resolution.--Section 1036(a) of the Duncan Hunter
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4596) is amended by adding at
the end the following new paragraph:
``(9) Collaboration of scientific and technical personnel
and sharing of technical information, test results, and
resources where available from the Department of Defense, the
Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration can advance an enduring relationship
of research capability to advance the access of unmanned
aircraft systems of the Department of Defense, the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and other public
agencies to the National Airspace System.''.
(b) Interagency Collaboration.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall collaborate
with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration to conduct research and seek solutions to
challenges associated with the safe integration of unmanned
aircraft systems into the National Airspace System in
accordance with subtitle B of title III of the FAA
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-95; 126
Stat. 72).
(2) Activities in support of plan on access to national
airspace for unmanned aircraft systems.--Collaboration under
paragraph (1) may include research and development of
scientific and technical issues, equipment, and technology in
support of the plan to safely accelerate the integration of
unmanned aircraft systems as required by subtitle B of title
III of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
(3) Nonduplicative efforts.--If the Secretary of Defense
determines it is in the interest of the Department of
Defense, the Secretary may use existing aerospace-related
laboratories, personnel, equipment, research radars, and
ground facilities of the Department of Defense to avoid
duplication of efforts in carrying out collaboration under
paragraph (1).
(4) Reports.--
[[Page S7528]]
(A) Requirement.--The Secretary of Defense, on behalf of
the UAS Executive Committee, shall annually submit to the
congressional defense committees, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a report on the progress of
research activity of the Department of Defense, including--
(i) progress in accomplishing the goals of the unmanned
aircraft systems research, development, and demonstration as
related to the Department of Defense Final Report to Congress
on Access to National Airspace for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
of October 2010, and any ongoing and collaborative research
and development programs with the Federal Aviation
Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration and
(ii) estimates of long-term funding needs and details of
funds expended and allocated in the budget requests of the
President that support integration into the National
Airspace.
(B) Termination.--The requirement to submit a report under
subparagraph (A) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) UAS Executive Committee Defined.--In this section, the
term ``UAS Executive Committee'' means the National
Aeronautics and Space and Administration and the Department
of Defense-Federal Aviation Administration executive
committee described in section 1036(b) of the Duncan Hunter
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 and
established by the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator
of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
to carry out this section.
[...]
Senate Report 112-173
Interagency collaboration on unmanned aircraft systems (sec. 1046)
The committee recommends a provision that would: (1) amend section 1036(a) of
the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417) to encourage technical collaboration and sharing of
personnel, resources, and information among the Department of Defense (DOD),
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA); (2) direct the Secretary of Defense to
collaborate with the FAA and NASA Administrators on solutions to the
challenges of unmanned aerial system (UAS) integration into the National
Airspace System (NAS); and (3) require the Secretary of Defense to provide
an annual report for a period of 5 years on the progress of research and
development for UAS NAS integration and future funding requirements.
UASs have clearly demonstrated their immense value to DOD military
capabilities in the global war on terrorism. Increasingly, UASs are
contributing to missions of other agencies and departments within the United
States. Large numbers of UASs now deployed overseas may be returned to the
United States as the conflict in Afghanistan and operations elsewhere wind
down in coming years, and new UASs are under development. Without the
ability to operate freely and routinely in the NAS, UAS development and
training--and ultimately operational capabilities--will be severely
impacted.
As the committee has noted repeatedly in previous years, DOD's leadership
belatedly realized how important and difficult UAS NAS integration would be.
While progress has been made in the last 5 years, the pace of development
must be accelerated; greater cross-agency collaboration and resource sharing
will contribute to that objective.
DOD has invested significantly in resolving the technical challenges of UAS
NAS integration, and this research and development and associated resources
should be utilized for the benefit of this government-wide initiative, where
applicable. The committee is encouraged by the relationship built between
DOD, the FAA, and NASA for coordinating research and development and
planning for this integration. The committee also recognizes the
contribution that the Joint Planning and Development Office's (JDPO) report,
`NextGen Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Development and Demonstration
Roadmap,' dated March 15, 2012, has made by providing a multi-agency
perspective on the technology required to enable UAS operations and
integration in the next-generation NAS. The committee supports and
encourages a deeper collaborative relationship between DOD and its JPDO
partners to expedite development of the necessary technologies and to avoid
redundant activities.
