NTSB and lawmakers oppose NDAA Section 373’s ADS‑B/transponder exemptions for military helicopters after Potomac River crash

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, safety investigators and members of Congress are opposing Section 373 of the House‑passed FY2026 NDAA, which would let the Pentagon grant waivers to transponder and ADS‑B requirements for U.S. military helicopters. They warn the provision would roll back safety measures adopted after January’s Potomac River collision near Reagan National.

Discovered 2025-12-11T09:56:46.431997-08:00 | 2025-12-11T09:56:46.431997-08:00

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Section 373 would allow waivers to transponder/ADS‑B equipage for military rotorcraft, a change critics say risks "undoing safety reforms" enacted after the Potomac River mid‑air collision (see bipartisan senators' move to amend the draft).
The provision sits against concurrent congressional momentum to "mandate ADS‑B on rotorcraft by end of 2031", creating conflicting statutory direction for surveillance equipage.
House language also directs helicopters to broadcast safety alerts near Reagan National and gives the DoD a 180‑day study window on additional tech, raising immediate questions about implementation, oversight and operational exemptions.

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