Timmons and Republican Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Members Continue Investigation of Drone Incursions on U.S. Military Bases

WASHINGTON—Today, Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs Chairman William Timmons (R-S.C.) and Republican lawmakers on the panel are continuing to investigate how the federal government addresses drone incursions on U.S. military installations and sensitive sites. In letters to Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, the lawmakers request documents and communications concerning the federal government’s authorities and operational posture for countering unmanned aerial systems within the United States.

“The Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs is continuing to investigate how the federal government addresses drone incursions on U.S. military installations and sensitive sites. Recent high-profile incursions near sensitive military facilities, power infrastructure, and public events suggest that the current framework for domestic counter-drone operations remains fragmented and, in some cases, insufficiently agile to meet evolving threats,” wrote the lawmakers.

On April 29, 2025, the Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee held a hearing on “Securing the Skies: Addressing Unauthorized Drone Activity Over U.S. Military Installations.” This hearing revealed the depth and urgency of this growing national security threat. In 2024 alone, more than 350 drone incursions were detected at 100 different military installations. At this hearing, witnesses stressed that the advent of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled drone technologies, which are capable of autonomous navigation and tracking, amplifies the danger exponentially. The hearing also brought to light severe deficiencies in legal authorities and interagency coordination.

“To better understand this issue, the Subcommittee is requesting documents and information concerning the federal government’s authorities and operational posture for countering unmanned aerial systems (cUAS) within the United States, with particular attention to discrepancies in how threats from unmanned verses manned aircraft are treated under current law and policy,” continued the lawmakers.

Read the letters here: