American defense companies have launched a large-scale campaign against the ‘right to repair’ provision in the Senate version of the 2026 US defense budget.
This provision obliges contractors to provide the Pentagon with technical data necessary for the maintenance of weapons, Roll Call reports.
According to the initiative of Senators Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) and Tim Sheehy (Republican), the Pentagon will not be able to enter into contracts without access to critical data for repairing equipment. Proponents of the reform believe that this will reduce costs and increase the army’s combat readiness.
Defense companies, including the Aerospace Industries Association, say the requirement to transfer intellectual property threatens innovation and discourages investment. They are promoting an alternative where the Pentagon gets access to information without full ownership.
Senator Warren accused large contractors of trying to ‘squeeze’ more money out of the budget, and called their opposition ‘dangerous and misguided.’
She also asked industry associations for information about the amount of revenue from repair contracts.
The Trump administration supported the Senate’s intention, but called for the wording to be finalized. The White House emphasized the importance of balancing access to data with the protection of private companies’ intellectual property.
