This bill mandates the Secretary of the Army to establish a two-year operational experimentation program for optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) rotary-wing aircraft within 180 days of enactment. The program requires converting at least three existing Army rotary-wing aircraft into OPVs to evaluate their military utility in contested environments and assess their integration with crewed aircraft in multi-domain operations. Key objectives include analyzing the cost and maintenance benefits of autonomous flight and developing future tactics, techniques, and procedures for Army aviation. This initiative will also complement and inform ongoing Army science and technology efforts related to autonomy, with potential collaboration from defense industry and research institutions. All testing must be conducted in special use airspace. Within one year, the Secretary must report to Congress on program progress, initial findings on operational efficiency and cost savings, and recommendations for future OPV procurement.
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Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
Armed Forces and National Security
HOVER Act of 2025
USA119th CongressS-1869| Senate
| Updated: 5/22/2025
This bill mandates the Secretary of the Army to establish a two-year operational experimentation program for optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) rotary-wing aircraft within 180 days of enactment. The program requires converting at least three existing Army rotary-wing aircraft into OPVs to evaluate their military utility in contested environments and assess their integration with crewed aircraft in multi-domain operations. Key objectives include analyzing the cost and maintenance benefits of autonomous flight and developing future tactics, techniques, and procedures for Army aviation. This initiative will also complement and inform ongoing Army science and technology efforts related to autonomy, with potential collaboration from defense industry and research institutions. All testing must be conducted in special use airspace. Within one year, the Secretary must report to Congress on program progress, initial findings on operational efficiency and cost savings, and recommendations for future OPV procurement.