FY2026 NDAA, Section 1048 ("Authorization of Eastern Regional Range Complex for multi-domain operations and robotic autonomous systems training, testing, and experimentation")

Summary

Authorize the Secretary of Defense, through military department Secretaries, to establish an Eastern Regional Range Complex as a hub for multi-domain operations and robotic autonomous systems, including unmanned aircraft systems.

Conduct training, experimentation, and testing of robotic autonomous systems, and develop tactics and procedures for unmanned systems.

Evaluate emerging technologies and systems in contested cyber and electromagnetic environments.

Coordinate activities with the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, Joint Staff, and Defense Research Offices, among others.

Authorize consultation with the FCC and NTIA for spectrum access to support operations.

Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a hub for autonomous systems training and experimentation.

SEC. 1048. AUTHORIZATION OF EASTERN REGIONAL RANGE COMPLEX FOR MULTI- DOMAIN OPERATIONS AND ROBOTIC AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS TRAINING, TESTING, AND EXPERIMENTATION. (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Secretaries of the military departments, may designate and develop an Eastern Regional Range Complex to serve as a joint training, testing, and experimentation hub for multi-domain operations and robotic autonomous systems, including unmanned aircraft systems and counter- unmanned aircraft systems capabilities, to address growing threats from potential adversaries. (b) Location.--If the Secretary designates and develops the Eastern Regional Range Complex under subsection (a), such complex shall encompass the territories of the States of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana, and Alabama.

Facilitates joint service training, experimentation, and testing of robotic autonomous systems and emerging AI technologies.

(c) Activities.--If the Secretary designates and develops the Eastern Regional Range Complex under subsection (a), such complex shall be used-- (1) to conduct joint, multi-domain, non-kinetic electromagnetic warfare, cyber and information operations training within live, virtual, and constructive environments, leveraging common networks with access to available spectrum; (2) support integrated multi-domain operations training involving air, land, sea, cyber, and space components; (3) conduct joint service and interagency robotic autonomous system training, experimentation and testing, including the development of tactics, techniques and procedures for unmanned aircraft systems and counter-unmanned aircraft systems; (4) evaluate emerging technologies and prototypes and tactics, techniques and procedures for the operation, detection, defeat, and attribution of robotic autonomous systems in contested cyber and electromagnetic spectrum environments; and (5) facilitate the integration of mature prototype experimentation and live-fire exercises for rapid fielding of capabilities aligned with the Joint Warfighting Concept.

Segment 3

(d) Coordination and Integration.--If the Secretary of Defense designates and develops the Eastern Regional Range Complex under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that activities conducted at such complex are coordinated with-- (1) the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office. (2) the Joint Staff (J-7); (3) the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; and (4) other entities with functions or missions relevant to the activities carried out at the Complex, which may include-- (A) relevant combatant commands and service components: (B) allies and partners of the United States participating in multi-domain operations; (C) the Defense Innovation Unit; (D) State National Guard commands; (E) the Office of Naval Research; and (F) such other key stakeholders as the Secretary determines appropriate.

Segment 4

(e) Consultation Authority.--The Secretary of Defense may consult with the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to recommend spectrum access requirements in support of joint and service training, testing, and experimentation within the Eastern Regional Range Complex, if such complex is designated and developed under subsection (a), and the Western Regional Range Complex, including access to appropriate live environments capable of supporting electromagnetic attack training, experimentation, and testing.