In order to aid navigation and to prevent disasters, collisions, and wrecks of vessels and aircraft, the Coast Guard may establish, maintain, and operate:

(1) aids to maritime navigation required to serve the needs of the armed forces or of the commerce of the United States;

(2) aids to air navigation required to serve the needs of the armed forces of the United States peculiar to warfare and primarily of military concern as determined by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of any department within the Department of Defense and as required by any of those officials; and

(3) electronic aids to navigation systems (a) required to serve the needs of the armed forces of the United States peculiar to warfare and primarily of military concern as determined by the Secretary of Defense or any department within the Department of Defense; or (b) required to serve the needs of the maritime commerce of the United States; or (c) required to serve the needs of the air commerce of the United States as requested by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 500; June 22, 1951, ch. 150, 65 Stat. 89, § 81; Sept. 3, 1954, ch. 1263, § 30, 68 Stat. 1237; Pub. L. 85–726, title XIV, § 1404, Aug. 23, 1958, 72 Stat. 808; Pub. L. 89–662, § 1, Oct. 14, 1966, 80 Stat. 912; Pub. L. 94–546, § 1(3), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2519; Pub. L. 97–322, title I, § 105(a), Oct. 15, 1982, 96 Stat. 1582; renumbered § 541, Pub. L. 115–282, title I, § 105(b), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4200.)