Exemption of unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles from certain technical authority requirements

(a) Exemption from senior technical authority requirements Unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles acquired or developed by the Department of the Navy are exempt from any requirement for oversight by a senior technical authority established under section 8669b of title 10, United States Code, except the requirements, specifications, and approvals described in subsection (c). (b) Limitation relating to Office of the Chief Engineer Subject to subsection (c), the Chief Engineer of the Naval Sea Systems Command may not establish any requirement, specification, or approval for an unmanned surface vessel or an unmanned underwater vehicle unless such action is approved in advance by the program manager responsible for the respective unmanned system. (c) Exceptions As the Secretary of the Navy considers appropriate, unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles may be subject to requirements, specifications, and approvals established by technical domain managers or technical warrant holders with responsibility for cybersecurity, ordnance and explosives, or warfare systems, without advanced approval described in subsection (b). (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Unmanned surface vessel The term unmanned surface vessel means a vessel designed to operate on the surface of the water without an onboard human crew. (2) Unmanned underwater vehicle The term unmanned underwater vehicle means a vehicle designed to operate below the surface of the water without an onboard human crew.