Integration of unmanned systems into the Installation Physical Security Program

(a) In general The Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the heads of relevant organizations of the Department of Defense, shall develop a plan for integrating unmanned aerial systems into the Installation Physical Security Program to expand physical security monitoring capabilities for installations and facilities of the Department of the Army within the United States. (b) Elements The plan required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A proposal for the development and implementation of a cost-effective, scalable solution to physical security of installations of the Department of the Army that employs unmanned aerial systems to identify and monitor potential threats to such installations. (2) An identification of one installation to potentially host the initial development of the integration required under such subsection and two locations for additional activities related to such integration, including the criteria used to determine proposed locations, which shall— (A) serve as potential demonstration locations for installation defense architecture that utilizes autonomous threat detection and small unmanned aerial system deployment for purposes of persistent surveillance; and (B) be chosen based on geographical diversity and the strategic importance of such installation and locations to the overall security infrastructure of the Army. (3) A comprehensive breakdown of the full costs of the integration required under such subsection, including— (A) initial capital expenditure for system implementation; (B) the cost of deploying unmanned aerial systems, sensors, and other related infrastructure at all organic industrial base sites operated by the Department of the Army in the United States; (C) estimated operation and maintenance costs; (D) a detailed funding schedule with expenditures projected across the period covered by the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code (as of the date of the plan); and (E) identification of potential cost-saving opportunities from the proliferation of small unmanned aerial systems and other sensors for installation security purposes across the installation footprint of the Army. (4) An assessment of the viability of funding and sustaining the integration required under such subsection across the period covered by the most recent future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code (as of the date of the plan), considering— (A) the financial impact relative to existing security infrastructure budgets of the Army, including potential impact on force structure or equipment procurement costs; (B) the cost-benefit analysis of upgrading existing systems versus implementing new technologies at each selected location; and (C) identification of technological or policy challenges or barriers to implementing small unmanned aerial system-based persistent monitoring solutions across the footprint of the Army in the United States. (5) A list of any additional authorities, appropriations, or other resources necessary to ensure the success of the integration required under such subsection. (c) Submittal to Congress Not later than September 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a completed version of the plan developed under subsection (a).