Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air & Land Forces, convened a hearing titled “Small UAS and Counter-UAS: Gaps, Requirements, and Projected Capabilities.” The hearing addressed the growing threats posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and the urgent need for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to close capability gaps in both deploying small drones and defending against them.

“As we have seen across the battlefield in Ukraine to the ongoing conflict in Israel, drones are redefining the character of warfare as we know it,” said Congressman Wittman. “From small quadcopters conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to larger unmanned systems delivering kinetic strikes, these systems are helping modern militaries project power and close kill chains at a lower cost than ever before. The proliferation of this technology and the rapid pace of technological change provide great opportunities for our own military and industrial base.”

(Watch Rep. Wittman’s Q&A here.)

The hearing spotlighted concerning incidents that demonstrate the challenges the United States faces in this domain. Congressman Wittman pointed to the December 2023 drone incursions at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, which exposed vulnerabilities in homeland defense, and the deadly Tower 22 drone attack in Jordan, where three U.S. service members lost their lives.

Witnesses provided insight into the current state of UAS and counter-UAS programs across the services, including efforts to scale drone platforms for greater battlefield utility, streamline acquisition, and improve tactical doctrine. These witnesses included key DOD leaders and experts:

• Mr. Doug Beck, Director of DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)  
• LtGen Eric Austin, Deputy Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps for Capabilities Development and Integration and Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command
• LTG Robert Collins, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology) and Director of the Army Acquisition Corps
• MG David Stewart, Director of the Joint Counter-UAS Office  

Read Rep. Wittman’s opening statement here.
Read the transcript of Rep. Wittman’s Q&A with witnesses here.

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