H.R. 6846 — DEFEND Act

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, not later than 270 days after enactment of this section and annually thereafter for six years, an assessment of terrorism threats to the United States from the global proliferation and malicious use of covered unmanned aircraft systems by covered foreign adversaries, including terrorist organizations, and related homeland security implications. The assessment must analyze (1) methods, trends, tactics, and technologies used by such adversaries to target U.S. or foreign critical infrastructure, civilians, or public safety; (2) risks of replication by other adversaries, lone actors, or domestic violent extremists; (3) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance uses; (4) acquisition and smuggling methods; (5) emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and swarms; (6) swarm tactics in active conflicts; (7) potential chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear payload delivery; (8) water-launched or concealed deployments; and (9) lessons from global conflicts on UAS utilization, defense, and defeat.