Department of War Statement on the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act

The Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act is an aviation‑safety bill written in response to a deadly January 29, 2025 mid‑air collision near Washington Reagan National Airport.

In plain terms, it would:

• Require essentially all aircraft operating in controlled, higher‑risk airspace (including military and law‑enforcement aircraft) to carry and use ADS‑B In equipment – a GPS‑based system that lets pilots see other aircraft and traffic advisories in real time, complementing the already‑required ADS‑B Out transmitters.
• Tighten or remove loopholes that currently let the Department of Defense and other government operators turn off ADS‑B Out under broad “sensitive mission” exceptions, and require detailed reporting and oversight whenever such exceptions are used.
• Order the FAA to review and, where necessary, redesign helicopter/rotorcraft routes near major commercial airports to increase separation from airliners, and to study a dynamic restricted‑airspace concept over the Potomac River near DCA.
• Direct the Army Inspector General to audit Army aviation operations (including training, use of ADS‑B, and coordination with FAA) in the National Capital Region and report the results publicly, subject to narrow national‑security redactions.

Overall, it expands electronic tracking and transparency for rotorcraft and other aircraft, especially military helicopters, and adds multiple layers of safety review and oversight.

The act is written broadly and would affect both civilian and military aviation, but key military impacts are:

• Department of War/Defense and all military services whose aircraft operate in controlled U.S. airspace: the bill narrows the ADS‑B Out “sensitive mission” exception and effectively requires military aircraft to transmit their position (ADS‑B Out) and, in designated airspace, to be equipped with ADS‑B In, removing the prior loophole that let many military flights operate “invisible” to civil traffic.
• U.S. Army aviation, especially units operating around Washington, D.C.: the act directs the Army Inspector General to audit Army helicopter operations, training, maintenance, and ADS‑B usage in the National Capital Region and mandates public release of that audit (with limited national‑security redactions).
• FAA–DoD coordination structures: it orders closer coordination between the FAA and the Department of War/Defense, including safety reviews of rotorcraft operations at major and mid‑sized airports and in the D.C. area.

Because the ADS‑B rules apply by airspace and aircraft type, in practice the act would touch Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and other defense aviation programs whenever they fly in controlled civil airspace.

Sean Parnell is a former U.S. Army infantry officer and author who, since February 2025, has served as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense/War for Public Affairs, the Pentagon’s top public‑affairs official and chief spokesperson.

As Assistant for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor, his responsibilities include:

• Acting as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of War/Defense on public information, media relations, internal communication, and community relations.
• Overseeing the Department’s public‑affairs apparatus and press operations (including Pentagon press briefings and official messaging).
• Communicating Department initiatives and activities to the public, Congress, and the media, and supporting transparency efforts such as regular “Weekly Sitrep” updates.

“Department of War” here reflects a rebranding of the Department of Defense under the Trump administration, not the creation of a new agency.

A September 5, 2025 executive order by President Trump authorized the Department of Defense and its leadership to use “Department of War” and “Secretary of War” as secondary titles in official communications, while clarifying that all existing statutory references to the Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense remain legally controlling. The release in question is thus from the same institution that was previously styled the U.S. Department of Defense, operating under the new “Department of War” branding.

For the full materials:

• Sean Parnell’s statement is published on the Department of War/Defense official site at the release page titled “Department of War Statement on the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act”.
• The full text of the bill can be read on:
  • Congress.gov for the Senate bill S. 2503 (ROTOR Act), including the reported text; and
  • GovInfo for the House companion bill H.R. 6222, with downloadable PDF and text.

Yes. Parnell’s statement explicitly looks ahead to next steps, saying the Department of War:

• “supports this legislation,”
• appreciates ongoing dialogue with the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee “to account for critical national security operations,” and
• “looks forward to continuing the productive dialogue with the Committee to finalize the bill, and working towards its ultimate passage.”

That language indicates the Department expects further negotiations on the bill’s details and is planning to help move it through the remaining stages of the legislative process, but the short release does not provide specific implementation dates or internal timelines beyond that.