Bill > S2506

This bill establishes the SkyFoundry Program, a Department of Defense initiative designed to rapidly develop, test, and manufacture small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS or drones). The program will be administered through the Army and integrated into the Defense Industrial Resilience Consortium, using alternative acquisition mechanisms like other transaction authority and rapid prototyping pathways to accelerate development. The program will consist of two key components: an innovation facility for research and development, which will integrate lessons from global conflicts to evolve SUAS designs, and a production facility capable of manufacturing up to 1,000,000 small unmanned aircraft systems annually. The bill allows for government-owned, government-operated facilities with contractor augmentation, enabling multiyear contracts and public-private partnerships. The Secretary of Defense is authorized to renovate or construct facilities, with specific site requirements including an Army Depot of at least 15,000 acres located near four states. The program also ensures the government retains appropriate intellectual property rights and can use Defense Production Act authorities to support domestic industrial base capacity. Additionally, the Secretary may expedite approvals and waive regulatory requirements to facilitate rapid development and production of these autonomous systems, with a focus on national defense capabilities.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2506/all-info