This article summarizes reporting by Reuters.

Congress Moves to Mandate Military Helicopters Tracking Near DC Following Fatal Collision

Following a year marked by tragedy and alarming safety lapses in the National Capital Region, Congress has unveiled legislation requiring U.S. military helicopters to broadcast their positions when operating near Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The provision, included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, aims to close a critical information gap between military pilots and commercial air traffic controllers.

According to reporting by Reuters, the legislation was released late Sunday, December 7, 2025. It mandates that military helicopters on training missions in the crowded airspace around Washington, D.C., utilize safety alerts to prevent collisions with commercial aircraft. This legislative move comes nearly a year after a catastrophic mid-air collision and a subsequent series of near-miss incidents that have drawn intense scrutiny from lawmakers and safety regulators.

Closing the “Stealth” Gap in Domestic Airspace

The core of the new legislation addresses the military’s historical exemption from using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology during certain domestic operations. ADS-B allows aircraft to broadcast their altitude, velocity, and position to ground controllers and other nearby planes. Without this technology active, military helicopters can effectively appear invisible to the automated collision avoidance systems used by commercial airliners.

Under the proposed NDAA provisions, the Department of Defense (DoD) must ensure that helicopters conducting training missions near DCA broadcast this vital data. The goal is to ensure that commercial pilots and air traffic controllers have real-time visibility of military assets operating in one of the nation’s busiest flight corridors.

In addition to the immediate mandate for the Capital region, the bill requires the Pentagon to conduct a feasibility study within 180 days. This study will analyze the implications of installing ADS-B technology across the broader military helicopter fleet, weighing the costs and combat readiness concerns against the imperative for civilian safety.

A Response to Tragedy: The January 2025 Collision

The legislative push is a direct response to the fatal events of January 29, 2025. On that day, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines (American Eagle) Flight 5342 near DCA. The crash resulted in 67 fatalities, 64 on the commercial jet and three on the helicopter. Investigations revealed that the Black Hawk was on a training mission and was not broadcasting its position via ADS-B, leaving the commercial pilots unaware of the converging threat until it was too late.

The urgency of the legislation was further underscored by a second incident in May 2025. According to reports summarized by the Washington Post, another Army Black Hawk was involved in a “near miss” with two airliners at DCA. In that instance, the helicopter reportedly took a “scenic route” near the commercial flight path, forcing jets to abort landings. These repeated lapses suggested a systemic failure rather than an isolated error.

Data Reveals a Decade of Risk

While the January crash was the catalyst for the new bill, data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that the airspace has been hazardous for years. NTSB records show approximately 15,000 close-proximity events between military and civilian aircraft near DCA between October 2021 and December 2024.

To address this historical lack of transparency, the NDAA includes a retroactive reporting requirement. The Pentagon must disclose to Congress the number of near-miss incidents between military and commercial aircraft over the last 10 years. This provision suggests lawmakers suspect that the scale of the risk has been underreported for a decade.

Stakeholder Reactions and Military Pushback

The legislation has drawn strong support from lawmakers who have criticized the Army’s safety culture. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has been a vocal proponent of “technological transparency” in domestic airspace.

“The Army chose to protect its bureaucratic [interests]… those deaths will be on the Army’s hands.”

, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), via Senate Commerce Committee records

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) also condemned the May incident, labeling it “outrageous” and demanding immediate action from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Defense Secretary.

Historically, the Army has resisted universal ADS-B adoption, citing Operational Security (OPSEC). The military argument posits that broadcasting movements could compromise sensitive mission profiles. However, the new legislation attempts to bypass this objection by specifically targeting training missions in domestic airspace, where the threat of enemy surveillance is negligible compared to the risk of collision with civilian traffic.

AirPro News Analysis

The inclusion of these mandates in the NDAA signals a significant shift in the balance of power between military autonomy and civilian aviation safety. For years, the “see and avoid” principle was deemed sufficient for visual flight rules (VFR) traffic, including military helicopters. However, the density of modern air traffic and the speed of commercial approach patterns have rendered unassisted visual separation obsolete in complex terminal areas like DCA.

By forcing a 10-year retrospective report, Congress is likely preparing to audit the military’s internal safety reporting culture. If the Pentagon’s internal numbers differ significantly from the NTSB’s data on “close-proximity events,” it could trigger further oversight hearings regarding military aviation conduct in the National Capital Region.

Sources

Sources: Reuters, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Washington Post, Senate Commerce Committee