Senators Want to Know More About Threat of Underwater Drones – By Caitlin M. Kenney (Defense One) / June 23, 2023
SASC’s draft 2024 defense policy bill would fund a study.
What threat might undersea drones pose to U.S. military bases? Senators want to know.
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, approved by the committee Thursday, calls for “an analysis of incidents of suspected or confirmed intrusions by unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) on or near U.S. military installations,” according to the bill’s executive summary.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., chairman of the seapower subcommittee, told reporters Friday the bill’s language is not a response to a specific incident.
“We know the technology. I mean, we have such technologies. We know how they can be used,” Kaine said. “It would be kind of malpractice not to make sure that our own assets are protected.”
