Military Helicopter Training Safety Act of 2025
The Military Helicopter Training Safety Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of Defense to provide Congress with two separate feasibility reports within 90 days of enactment. One report assesses the feasibility and implications of installing Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) in all military rotary-wing aircraft (i.e., helicopters), and the other assesses the feasibility of installing Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In (ADS-B In) capabilities in all such aircraft. Each report must cover cost, impact on civilian airspace safety, required cockpit changes, operational implications (combat, training, and domestic security), and, if installation is not feasible, recommended alternatives. The bill defines TCAS per existing CFR standards and applies the same structure to ADS-B In. In short, the bill seeks government examination—not immediate procurement or deployment—of whether these avionics can and should be added to every military helicopter, with detailed analyses and contingency recommendations if full installation isn’t feasible.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act may be cited as the “Military Helicopter Training Safety Act of 2025.”
- 2Two mandatory feasibility reports:
- 3- One on installing TCAS in all military rotary-wing aircraft, due within 90 days of enactment.
- 4- One on installing ADS-B In capabilities in all such aircraft, also due within 90 days.
- 5Required contents for each report (items 1-5):
- 6- Cost analysis for installation per aircraft type.
- 7- Effect on safety in civilian airspace.
- 8- Necessary cockpit/configuration changes to install the systems.
- 9- Implications for combat, training, or domestic security operations.
- 10- If installation is not feasible, recommended alternatives or similar systems.
- 11Definition: The bill defines the term “traffic alert and collision avoidance system” to align with compliance standards in 14 C.F.R. § 121.356 (or its successor), ensuring a specific regulatory baseline for TCAS.
- 12Scope: The requirement covers all military rotary-wing aircraft (i.e., military helicopters), not just specific models or units.