S. 2506: SkyFoundry Act of 2025
The bill, known as the SkyFoundry Act of 2025, mandates the establishment of a program by the Secretary of Defense to accelerate the development, testing, and scalable production of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Below are the key components of the Act:
Program Establishment
The Secretary of Defense is required to create a program focused on:
- Rapid development and testing of small unmanned aircraft systems.
- Scalable manufacturing capabilities, potentially expanding to other autonomous systems.
Administration and Structure
The program will be administered by the Secretary of the Army and integrated within the Defense Industrial Resilience Consortium. The Secretary will use alternative acquisition methods to streamline development and production.
Program Components
The program will consist of two main components:
- Innovation Facility: A government-run facility for research and development of UAS, operated by the U.S. Army Materiel Command, aimed at incorporating lessons from past conflicts to improve designs.
- Production Facility: The Army Materiel Command will identify a location capable of producing up to one million small unmanned aircraft systems annually.
Government and Contractor Collaboration
The Secretary may:
- Enter into contracts for contractor assistance, allowing for hybrid teams that include both military and civilian personnel.
- Form public-private partnerships with industry, academic institutions, and other organizations.
Facilities and Infrastructure
The bill directs the Secretary to utilize existing Army Depot facilities for the program, requiring the selection of at least two sites, one for the innovation facility and another for the production facility. The sites must meet specific criteria, including adequate land and facility size.
Intellectual Property Rights
To maintain control over developed technologies, the program will ensure the U.S. retains necessary intellectual property rights, allowing continual production and modification of the systems.
Defense Production Act Support
The President will use the Defense Production Act to support the domestic manufacturing base for small unmanned aircraft systems, prioritizing their development for national defense purposes.
Regulatory Flexibility
The Secretary has the authority to expedite or waive certain Department of Defense regulations that could delay the development and production of the program.
Relevant Companies
- BA - The Boeing Company, which develops unmanned systems and may participate in UAS production.
- RTX - Raytheon Technologies Corporation, involved in defense technology and potential UAS innovations.
- GD - General Dynamics Corporation, which designs technologically advanced unmanned systems.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
4 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Jul. 29, 2025 | Introduced in Senate |
| Jul. 29, 2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. |
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