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Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73

§6227 Protection of certain nuclear facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART VI— - ELEMENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER MATTERS › Subpart Subpart B— - Atomic Energy Defense › Chapter CHAPTER 605— - SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY MATTERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - SAFEGUARDS AND SECURITY › § 6227

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Energy may act to stop drones that threaten the safety or security of certain nuclear sites or assets. Even if other federal laws might normally ban the steps below, the Secretary can find, track, and monitor a drone (including by accessing its control communications); warn the drone operator; block or interfere with the drone’s control signals; seize or take control of the drone; confiscate it; or use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy it. The Secretary must develop these actions together with the Secretary of Transportation. Any drone taken by the Secretary of Energy can be forfeited to the United States. The two Secretaries may make rules and must issue guidance to carry this out. Covered facilities are ones the Secretary of Energy names that are in the United States and are tied to the National Nuclear Security Administration or are national security labs or nuclear weapons production sites. The words “unmanned aircraft” and “unmanned aircraft system” mean what the FAA law defines.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §6227

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Notwithstanding any provision of title 18, the Secretary of Energy may take such actions described in subsection (b)(1) that are necessary to mitigate the threat (as defined by the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation) that an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft poses to the safety or security of a covered facility or asset.
(b)(1)The actions described in this paragraph are the following:
(A)Detect, identify, monitor, and track the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, without prior consent, including by means of intercept or other access of a wire, oral, or electronic communication used to control the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft.
(B)Warn the operator of the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, including by passive or active, and direct or indirect physical, electronic, radio, and electromagnetic means.
(C)Disrupt control of the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft, without prior consent, including by disabling the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft by intercepting, interfering, or causing interference with wire, oral, electronic, or radio communications used to control the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft.
(D)Seize or exercise control of the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft.
(E)Seize or otherwise confiscate the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft.
(F)Use reasonable force to disable, damage, or destroy the unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft.
(2)The Secretary of Energy shall develop the actions described in paragraph (1) in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation.
(c)Any unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft described in subsection (a) that is seized by the Secretary of Energy is subject to forfeiture to the United States.
(d)The Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Transportation may prescribe regulations and shall issue guidance in the respective areas of each Secretary to carry out this section.
(e)In this section:
(1)The term “covered facility or asset” means any facility or asset that is—
(A)identified by the Secretary of Energy for purposes of this section;
(B)located in the United States (including the territories and possessions of the United States); and
(C)(i)owned by or contracted to the National Nuclear Security Administration, including any facility that stores or uses special nuclear material; or
(ii)a national security laboratory or nuclear weapons production facility.
(2)The terms “unmanned aircraft” and “unmanned aircraft system” have the meanings given those terms in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95; 49 U.S.C. 40101 11 See References in Text note below. note).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), which was formerly set out in a note under section 40101 of Title 49, Transportation, was transferred and is now set out in a note under section 44802 of Title 49. Codification Amendment by section 3114 of Pub. L. 119–60 directed to section 4510 of Pub. L. 107–314 executed to this section pursuant to section 3111(d)(1)(E) of Pub. L. 119–60. See Further Technical

Amendments

note set out under section 6114 of this title.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2661 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(d)(2)(B), realigned margins. Subsec. (e)(1)(C). Pub. L. 119–60, §§ 3111(d)(1)(E), 3114, amended subpar. (C) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (C) read as follows: “owned by the United States or contracted to the United States, to store or use special nuclear material.” See Codification note above.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 6227

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73