[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6183250,"mediaKeyId","5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140","parentId",5098362,"title","Committee presses DOD on counter‑UAS gaps, Langley incursions and National Defense Areas","audioSeconds",606,"startMs",4022000,"endMs",4628000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140&start=4022&end=4628","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140/thumbnail_4022000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6183250/Committee-presses-DOD-on-counterUAS-gaps-Langley-incursions-and-National-Defense-Areas","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183250-3df1eff496201982b74bd9954c901342/orig.mp4?Expires=1773790295&Signature=h8rkiw7YzuixI9k6eDLUW5x0EFaxdESagNhsT7dQalJvdPnkEI2vBNH~d0cMiL0rtuKSbld6fez~cvdGJSOyI764U~PUW~Qull-P3cDpRjMOclNZGSeU4iY0b1lmycJPnmvIPzy9Tg3zcRy9oFOXG0YfFrgYdOTr6jLwdsnik-VeUKgCJLlJGAsNQPPC7VRbUXzcPJZxDECpo~S6icVWnGkXZAqefgN75b4jMHr-uYgfDsCYM3HH1jnOffd9FKcXRfEmd~KA0d8MjwbSHZ-jahrkdrYXYtL73XWqasfiqiND8IC0iFRkgf2VVzBW0g7uUdDP4HroD5YbGbLHSa74Xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","Senators pressed Defense officials about growing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) threats to installations at home and abroad, and about the use of National Defense Areas (NDAs) to support operations tied to border security.

\"We certainly are seeing in real time the threat they pose in combat and the new iterations of them on the battlefield,\" Sen. Tim Kaine said, citing incursions at Langley Air Force Base and other sites. Kaine and other senators asked what services were doing to improve detection and counter‑UAS capability both inside and outside base perimeters.

Assistant Secretary Melissa Marx said the department will focus on both fence‑line defenses and community coordination so threats can be mitigated before reaching installations. Army and Air Force witnesses said counter‑UAS work includes technology investments, exercises to assess energy and power needs for sensors and communications, and policy coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. \"There are policy and legal challenges with doing counter UAS, particularly domestically,\" Dr. Waxman said, noting FAA restrictions on kinetic action beyond base boundaries.

Senators also raised the Golden Dome Act introduced in Congress and recent announcements creating additional National Defense Areas near Joint Base San Antonio and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Witnesses said NDAs are being established to provide specific property and operational authorities and that forces operating under Title 10 status are meant to assist federal law‑enforcement activities without supplanting posse comitatus restrictions. Service leaders said they would provide the committee with numbers and details on personnel and authorities in the new NDAs.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said recurring incursions and unclear authorities hamper both private‑sector and base responses to UAS. They urged clearer protocols with FAA, local authorities and industry and said legislative fixes may be needed.

Witnesses pledged to coordinate with the committee and to provide requested follow‑up briefings and personnel counts for the NDAs. No formal decisions were made at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","FTo receive an update from Assistant Secretaries for Energy, Installations, and Environment in support of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act.","oneSentenceSummary","Senators asked services about defending installations from unmanned aircraft system incursions and about the recent creation of National Defense Areas. Witnesses described technology, legal and community‑coordination challenges and pledged to work with the committee and with FAA and other stakeholders.","taxTitle","Armed Services: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1987,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6183254,"Senators press DOD on fuel logistics, Red Hill repercussions and Arctic/Alaska basing options",1814,4658000,6472000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140&start=4658&end=6472","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140/thumbnail_4658000.jpg","/articles/6183254/Senators-press-DOD-on-fuel-logistics-Red-Hill-repercussions-and-ArcticAlaska-basing-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183254-1e42bfdf41f2918628045d57addd5c00/orig.mp4?Expires=1773790295&Signature=CMQQ1v6NBgMKOrelKerlTexRzCTN1einz8PjheeoCmHDOkEN0m~eIgdQegj3RLSnTnMUYGvRPdciQCAs1HzJyMgDRZe8EiWR1G02GDwawBtMVnoybsCsB~PvTPul6Z280-E-j~RBWXGbcY3QH-AXG6X7BjrhsHUIREZBdnJ14SURz3K-21wVXF9f~gqDZm2EEdoufWvIMyhk5nFb~D9jwvJz8HA7evFXjZme~K~NeOuoCtcQdNUpxBjqf8f78eyMfe~mJbs8YzwfML3EHr5zZhlvDDWwGDIZ5ESfOQtAYL04lh1B8MI4D3v-vGtqgL7t9ULFRKuNjCH7nFtkw4BKXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators told Defense officials that fuel storage and energy resilience are critical operational issues in the Indo‑Pacific and Arctic, especially after the Red Hill fuel facility closure in Hawaii. They asked how the Department of Defense is addressing fuel logistics, storage, and energy resiliency to support distributed operations.

\"One of the areas I talked about during your confirmation process... the former base at Adak... has one of the largest and still operational fuel depots in the world,\" Chairman Sen. Dan Sullivan said. He asked whether combatant commanders were raising concerns about fuel supplies for contingencies in INDOPACOM. Assistant Secretary Melissa Marx said she was \"tracking\" comments from combatant commanders and had directed assessments of ADAK and other posture options.

Members also discussed Alaska energy projects that could bolster resilience. Senator Sullivan highlighted the Alaska LNG proposal as a potential long‑term source of reliable natural gas for bases and for allies in Asia. Marx said the department is \"very interested\" in how such projects could be integrated into installation planning.

The Air Force confirmed near‑term progress on microreactor testing. Mr. Saunders said the Department of the Air Force issued a notice of intent to award a power purchase agreement for a 5‑megawatt microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base and is targeting a finalized agreement in the 2027 timeframe: \"We're on target to finalize that agreement in the 2027 timeframe,\" Saunders said.

Why it matters: Senators framed fuel storage, resilient energy sources and dispersed basing as central to wartime logistics in the Pacific and to homeland defense in the Arctic. They asked DOD to brief combatant commanders and provide follow-up assessments on ADAK, fuel storage posture and energy projects.

Officials committed to further briefings and to working with the committee on integration and contingency planning. No formal actions were taken at the hearing.","Committee members questioned DOD witnesses about fuel logistics in the Indo‑Pacific after the Red Hill closure, the strategic potential of Adak and other Alaska sites, and progress on microreactor demonstrations such as a planned 5‑megawatt microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6183259,"Senators question heavy Guam MILCON plans; DOD says it will study dispersal and labor needs",0,2934000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140&start=2934&end=2934","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140/thumbnail_2934000.jpg","/articles/6183259/Senators-question-heavy-Guam-MILCON-plans-DOD-says-it-will-study-dispersal-and-labor-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183259-7c47b626208db651c31c51c1d513ff52/orig.mp4?Expires=1773790295&Signature=DMjVLecdXnNvb74LYVZWyTAk3yFRkLAJUB6xPQauPH7LSQgRH9XMGdoM682gZ2YZARfPg8H9a4jYoukG0EkzG5nri6~-wHglPBD6WkpxciqGPyLHgE0WNZtTxHmiKA9TFBmUvMv9iKAyf-Izv2hcV7e0NqrDUAUDWWTe8WzqZcitM2niYJMHcGQki-nko6dKpVunCCvMKCitEVHCj1JjobE1Acc~7RfnGBVM-E5kQ~loQ5lecviaTkyD4hWb21WvFshrCpztZgyOWUPf0BZyLF3z6G17Uv78tbDSeI8O4~5xZ7F8SPR-d~TPDgXl4J6QwAwnunQ-B1uFrWta8gQcfA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators pressing Defense witnesses said the large scale of planned military construction on Guam risks overconcentration of U.S. forces in a small geographic area and could create vulnerabilities in a conflict scenario.

\"The current projected MILCON in Guam ... go up from $4.7 billion in current projects to over $46 billion in planned future projects,\" Sen. Dan Sullivan said. He added that some service estimates put the figure \"north of $50 billion\" and asked whether the department’s posture defaulted too much to Guam.

Assistant Secretary Melissa Marx said the department is beginning a \"holistic master planning\" effort for Guam that will consider force laydown, cost and operational requirements and will be informed by combatant commanders. \"We have just, at least from my seat, begun to to take a harder look at that,\" Marx said. She said visits to relevant commands and a staff trip planned for August would inform timelines and choices.

Senators also raised labor and construction workforce constraints in the Indo‑Pacific. Marx and others noted prior congressional extensions of H‑2B visa authority for military construction in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and signaled support for another extension. \"I absolutely would look for an extension that would help with costs with manpower and continue to move our projects along,\" Marx said when asked if she would support an H‑2B extension.

Why it matters: Senators argued that excessive concentration on a single island could create operational risk and that labor shortages increase cost and schedule risk. The Department of Defense said it will provide further work product and briefings after planning visits and engagements with combatant commanders and service components.

No formal action was taken; the department committed to return with more detailed planning timelines and assessments.","Senators expressed concern that planned MILCON on Guam represents an overconcentration of forces and could create strategic vulnerabilities. DOD officials said they are undertaking a holistic Guam master plan and support continued H‑2B visa authority for construction labor in the region.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6183265,"Senators press DOD on poor barracks, family housing and a $1 billion funding shift to border operations",2001,1463000,3464000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140&start=1463&end=3464","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140/thumbnail_1463000.jpg","/articles/6183265/Senators-press-DOD-on-poor-barracks-family-housing-and-a-1-billion-funding-shift-to-border-operations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183265-d3d9eaec5e7aabd8c40dfa185d0df8e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773790295&Signature=TzkRq6WALWkr4mq9VAheeej4NILzsRsL8VkPsJ6blu84SQcD8LiJMolf2W0c5JJl4uwcGa5IvaNJ0JVC0EHB6-tzroOJR1loqCjne30V~MWD3tqsWQtyhYv0aEl0lOJlzArQjgTcFbaMSRej36nKRF-YP2ipikVO01XxKdxQ-A85HKegra8jUw9cHR117S3kbPYOcIRTuAmsKR7zxKuHdt9Klta5O8a4I-kII29C7qh56Lpiz9nSfnn~OZT2r6VzIY-8ZQ9betvZ77WhZ6QRwxi7-DYMfXnd4qIIOjYwXK22D8ck1BRK5h5I8Mtq-uld3LVmOAys~k2ktmGARHoTqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators at the Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing pressed Defense Department officials about poor living conditions in family and unaccompanied housing and asked how recent funding shifts will affect repairs and readiness.

\"The poor living conditions, which unfortunately include sewage overflow, mold, mildew, broken windows, decrease the quality of life and readiness for service members,\" Sen. Dan Sullivan said in his opening. Ranking Member Sen. Mazie Hirono highlighted an Army plan she called troubling: \"I am troubled to learn about the Army's plan to divert $1,000,000,000 of facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization funding to pay for operations at the Southwest Border,\" Hirono said.

Army witness Dr. Patrick Waxman and Assistant Secretary Melissa Marx replied that the funds in question were largely unexecuted balances and that the Army plans to restore those requirements into FY26. \"We did not pull any funding from any projects that were already being spent on. It was money that had not already been assigned,\" Waxman told the committee. He added the Army's FY26 FSRM budget is roughly 25% higher than FY24 and that leadership is prioritizing barracks and sustainment work.

Witnesses and senators discussed oversight measures introduced since reports exposing substandard housing. Marx said parts of the administration's FY26 request include $1.9 billion for family housing and $1.2 billion for unaccompanied housing. Senators asked for status updates on GAO recommendations: Sen. Tim Kaine noted a 2023 Government Accountability Office report that made 31 recommendations on housing; Marx said more than half the recommendations have been implemented and that three remain in closure processes.

Committee members directed the services to provide updated execution data. Sen. Hirono said the panel had asked the Army for a comparison of planned versus executed FSRM projects in FY25 and had not received it; Waxman committed to produce finalized numbers for the committee.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said living conditions directly affect morale, retention and readiness, and pressed for transparency on how funds are being allocated and accounted for when portions of FSRM are used for other priorities.

No formal votes were taken. Officials promised follow-up deliverables for committee review.","Ranking members raised concerns about substandard barracks and family housing, and cited an Army plan to divert about $1 billion in FSRM funding to support Southwest Border operations. Army and OSD witnesses said funding redirected was largely unexecuted and that FY26 FSRM budgets aim to rebound.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6183269,"Senate subcommittee presses DOD on infrastructure investment, 4% plant-replacement target",1089,1171000,2260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140&start=1171&end=2260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5098362-c8255cc5895862ce5227a753773ef140/thumbnail_1171000.jpg","/articles/6183269/Senate-subcommittee-presses-DOD-on-infrastructure-investment-4-plant-replacement-target","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183269-6ed68c3c150a69c194242ee502270c8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773790295&Signature=OxMHCCqf~f0v7d8SJleC5PKO~gzHdvnRMSyPM1fpN~iDBs7308orYHNbpuNSG8dhq8BLCTZ2TKQ3NqR1h2NMpkPvmHtiHe~7zNrJfwT37V8vWOddrb8EQWJ4uwdjWExW3hR60dp0KwPMrQIrsiWYrsKuFIiKBZS2syg2uzgsV7T9TLB6DLNlejXLk7f-I7y4J4e-bak7VIY38cdTaE1P41mJmHZLdBMZbtFEOvi0A5Dk9~gQ9Fab0n5vQRk~16YTqEBQAREuzVZyX~UoLlJs79yHiwe94ltj4~P5e6eK-GFqApYgXrABG6B~poPIXoqsFW6lGQRyPu8A9ey~tzdJHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support heard testimony Tuesday on the Department of Defense's plans to modernize aging military installations and meet Congress's FY25 directive to achieve 4% facility sustainment, restoration and modernization (FSRM) of plant replacement value by 2030.

The requirement to reach a 4% FSRM rate was a central focus of the hearing because subcommittee leaders said crumbling infrastructure has driven up costs and harmed readiness. \"I would like to hear from each of you on the implementation of the FY25 national defense authorization requirement to achieve 4% plant replacement value by 2030,\" said Sen. Dan Sullivan, the subcommittee chairman. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment Melissa Marx said the department is prioritizing that mandate and included increased funding in the President's FY26 request: \"Going forward, with some big issues to tackle, such as meeting Congress's directive to significantly increase our FSRM investment to at least 4% of plant replacement value,\" Marx told the panel.

Witnesses described current and planned budget lines the department believes will support the goal. Marx told senators the FY26 budget request included roughly $17.9 billion in military construction (MILCON) and $27.3 billion proposed for FSRM; she also cited $3.8 billion for installation and operational energy. Army witness Dr. Patrick Waxman said the Army's FY26 FSRM request is roughly 25% higher than in FY24 and that the Army is aiming to recover previously deferred work: \"The FY26 FSRM budget for the Army is gonna be 25% higher than it was even in FY24,\" Waxman said.

Senators pressed officials on administrative barriers that lengthen project timelines. Sullivan and others asked about the pace of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews and litigation, citing a recent Supreme Court decision (Eagle County) that clarified agency obligations under NEPA as an opportunity to streamline reviews. Marx said the department is reviewing options to shorten NEPA timelines while meeting legal obligations and exploring use of categorical exclusions and other tools to accelerate projects.

Members also discussed procurement and delivery models intended to shorten construction schedules, including accelerated design-build, progressive design-build, greater use of Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) for prototyping and industrialized construction, and bundling projects to achieve efficiency. Marx said her office is evaluating unified facilities criteria and opportunities to apply artificial intelligence to speed delivery and reduce cost.

Why it matters: Lawmakers said accelerating infrastructure repairs is essential to ensure troop readiness and to prevent costs that come from prolonged deferred maintenance. Several senators warned that delays and oversaturation of low-priority real estate increase lifecycle costs and divert funding from warfighting priorities.

Committee directions and next steps included commitments from service witnesses to provide inventory and execution data. Waxman told the panel the Army is finalizing internal numbers on planned versus executed FSRM projects and pledged to deliver that information to the committee. Marx agreed to follow up with specific examples of accelerated-design and project-bundling pilots that could be implemented across services.

The hearing did not produce any formal votes or new statutory changes; senators said they expect follow-up briefings and formal responses on requested data within the committee's deadlines.","Senators pressed Defense officials about the Department of Defense's infrastructure condition, the congressional FY25 directive to reach 4% facility sustainment, restoration and modernization (FSRM) of plant replacement value by 2030, and ways to speed military construction amid NEPA and project-execution delays.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee presses DOD on counter‑UAS gaps, Langley incursions and National Defense Areas

Senators press DOD on fuel logistics, Red Hill repercussions and Arctic/Alaska basing options

Senators question heavy Guam MILCON plans; DOD says it will study dispersal and labor needs

Senators press DOD on poor barracks, family housing and a $1 billion funding shift to border operations

Senate subcommittee presses DOD on infrastructure investment, 4% plant-replacement target