At Eleventh Hour, Defense Department Raises Concerns About ROTOR Act

House of Representatives will discuss the air safety legislation this week.

Zach Vasile

Monday, February 23, 2026 at 05:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A U.S. Army Black Hawk flies over Washington, D.C. [Credit: Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Defense Department opposes the ROTOR Act, citing unaddressed budgetary burdens and operational security risks for military helicopter operations, despite supporting the bill's safety intent.
Prompted by a fatal military helicopter-airliner collision, the ROTOR Act aims to enhance air safety by mandating ADS-B technology for both military and civilian aircraft and narrowing the definition of "sensitive government missions" that allow non-broadcast flights.
An alternative, the ALERT Act, is being proposed by some House Republicans but notably omits the ROTOR Act's mandate for ADS-B In, drawing criticism from airline pilot unions.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The U.S. Defense Department on Monday came out against the ROTOR Act, just hours before it was to be taken up by the House of Representatives.

In a statement, defense officials expressed appreciation for the work of the bill’s backers, most notably Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, but voiced misgivings about the potential impact on military helicopter operations.