Defense Bill Pulls Back on Proposed Military Flight Restrictions in D.C.

Legislation provides exemptions not included in the Senate’s separate aviation safety proposal.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 09:30 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta aircraft takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. [Shutterstock/Andrew Mauro]

Key Takeaways:

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY 2026 introduces new requirements for military training flights in the Washington, D.C. metro area, generally mandating position broadcasting within a 30-mile radius.
However, the NDAA includes exemptions, allowing the Secretaries of Defense and Transportation to waive these broadcasting requirements for national security or if commercial flights are deemed not at risk, making it less stringent than the proposed ROTOR Act.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) strongly opposes the NDAA's D.C. airspace provisions, arguing they would "significantly reduce the safety" of the area by allowing "unfettered access" for military training missions, similar to conditions before a deadly mid-air collision.
The more stringent ROTOR Act was drafted in response to a January mid-air collision between a civilian flight and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, where the Black Hawk's position broadcasting system was not active.

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A compromise version of the national defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2026 imposes new requirements on military aircraft operating over the Washington, D.C., metro area but also provides exemptions not present in the U.S. Senate’s proposed ROTOR Act.

The legislation would restrict military training flights from operating within a roughly 30-mile radius of the capital city unless they are actively broadcasting their position. But the secretaries of the departments of Defense and Transportation would have the power to waive the broadcasting requirement over national security concerns, or if commercial flights are judged not to be at risk.