October 10, 2025 — The XR Association (XRA) applauds Congress for the inclusion of immersive technology provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in the Senate. Both the House and Senate versions of the NDAA demonstrate a strong bipartisan commitment to integrating extended reality (XR) tools into U.S. defense and national security operations.
The following statement can be attributed to Chris Brown, Vice President of Public Policy at the XR Association:
“XRA commends the House and Senate for moving expeditiously to pass their respective National Defense Authorization Bills (H.R. 3838 / S.2296). Both bills include several provisions relating to the use of cutting-edge immersive technology. The inclusion of these provisions demonstrates the growing importance of immersive technologies to national security and military readiness. As House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders work to resolve differences between the two bills, we encourage Congress to retain these key provisions in the final NDAA to ensure that our armed forces remain the best trained and most prepared in the world.”
Key Immersive Technology Provisions in the NDAA
Provisions in both versions of the NDAA underscore the vital role immersive technologies play in supporting defense innovation:
- Augmented Reality for Naval Operations: The Senate bill requires the Navy to use AR support for repairs and implement digital twin technology for virtual ship modeling (Sec. 322).
- Digital Twin Integration in Defense Acquisitions: The Secretary of Defense must establish an alternative test and evaluation pathway that incorporates supporting data from digital twins (Sec. 805, Senate bill).
- Immersive Technologies in 5G Infrastructure Planning: The Secretary of each military branch must consider AR and VR technologies for maintenance and training when identifying bases for investment in private 5G networks (Sec. 1616, Senate bill).
- AI and Spatial Computing for Training: The House bill directs the Secretary of the Navy to develop a pilot program utilizing generative AI and spatial computing for performance training and proficiency assessment (Sec. 549).
- Expanded XR Applications Across the Services: The House report supports continued and expanded XR use by the Air Force and Army, including pilot and air combat training, digital twins for weapon system performance prediction, and rapid manufacturing and prototyping applications.
XRA has worked closely with lawmakers and defense leaders to highlight the role that XR technologies play in enhancing national security. These forward-looking provisions will help ensure that U.S. forces maintain a decisive edge through continuous innovation
