New legislation introduced by Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee would require the creation of an independent organization within the Department of Defense to manage drones.
The Asia-Pacific Region Priority bill, proposed by the committee chairman Randy Forbes, Virginia Republican, and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Hawaii Democrat, was introduced Monday, U.S. Naval Institute News reported.
“It is the policy of the United States to maintain an independent organization within the Department of Defense to develop and coordinate the unmanned air, land and sea capabilities of the United States to ensure unity of effort and the prudent allocation of resources in accordance with military needs,” the proposed legislation reads, USNI News reported.
If the bill were to become law, the Secretary of Defense would then be required to appoint a Director of Defense Unmanned Systems. That individual would have “oversight of all unmanned systems within the Defense Department,” USNI reported.
Analyst Mark Gunzinger at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments told USNI News on Tuesday that the legislation may be called necessary. Mr. Gunzinger said that “there should be an unmanned systems champion within” the defense department who could work across the different services.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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