Senator John Hoeven, on Oct. 15, held a virtual fireside chat with U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink as part of the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit in Grand Forks. Hoeven invited Meink to attend the summit as part of his ongoing efforts to leverage North Dakota’s unique UAS ecosystem to:<ul><li>Advance counter-drone technologies and capabilities to address the threat posed to military and civilian installations by the misuse of unmanned aircraft.</li><li>Realize practical applications for drones to strengthen and streamline U.S. military operations.</li></ul>“Technology is rapidly changing warfare around the world. We developed Project ULTRA because we can’t wait on the traditional acquisition process. The U.S. needed a new approach to keep pace with our adversaries and overcome the serious risk posed by unmanned aircraft, and there is no better place in the world to do that work than Grand Forks,” said Hoeven. “Ultimately, this is about getting to a unified counter-drone defense strategy, like we did with missile defense. That’s the long-term goal, and considering the threat we face, it needs to be a cornerstone of U.S. defense. We’re taking the first steps right here in North Dakota, and we’re able to do so because of the unique set of partnerships and capabilities that we’ve brought together.”ADVANCING COUNTER-UAS DEFENSES<ul><li>Hoeven discussed how the prevalence of inexpensive and expendable unmanned aircraft is changing the way war is fought.&nbsp;<ul><li>Adversaries can easily target high-value assets with minimal expense and risk, while measures to counter such attacks come at a high cost.</li><li>The senator stressed that, just as missile defense has been key to national security for decades, counter-drone must become a cornerstone of U.S. defense.</li><li>The U.S. needs cost-effective measures to detect and neutralize threats from unmanned aircraft, and Project ULTRA is set to begin work on this priority to enhance the defense capabilities of domestic military installations.</li></ul></li><li>This emerging threat drives home the importance of the <a href="https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-grand-forks-taking-two-major-steps-forward-in-counter-uas-leadership">two announcements</a> Hoeven made earlier this week, with:&nbsp;<ul><li>Air Combat Command (ACC) selecting Grand Forks Air Force Base as the home of the new Point Defense Battle Lab.</li><li>AeroVironment bringing its counter-UAS system, AV Halo, to GrandSKY.</li></ul></li><li>In addition, Grand Forks Air Force Base is set to begin <a href="https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-nearly-20-million-awarded-for-runway-repairs-at-grand-forks-air-force-base">repairs on its runway</a>, creating a unique opportunity for counter-UAS research and testing.&nbsp;<ul><li>With the skies clear of other aircraft, GrandSKY will be able to fly small UAS systems at the base to gather data and assess tracking and detecting capabilities.</li></ul></li></ul>DEVELOPING PRACTICAL MILITARY APPLICATIONS<ul><li>Hoeven stressed the benefits UAS provide to routine operations, like resupply missions, helping improve efficiency and, for missions in dangerous areas, keeping servicemembers out of harm’s way.&nbsp;<ul><li>Such operations tie in directly with Project ULTRA’s current efforts to write the playbook for unmanned military cargo deliveries between bases.</li></ul></li><li>Further, the model used by the initiative outpaces the traditional military acquisition process.&nbsp;<ul><li>This enables the U.S. to keep up with adversaries and the fast pace of technological development, while staying on-time and on-budget.</li><li>With an <a href="https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-project-ultra-ceiling-increased-to-100-million">increased contract ceiling of $100 million</a> and a recent partnership with <a href="https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-announces-project-ultra-support-for-us-central-command">U.S. Central Command</a>, Project ULTRA is positioned to help all military services to cost-effectively and quickly develop the capabilities they need.</li></ul></li></ul>

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Senator John Hoeven, on Oct. 15, held a virtual fireside chat with U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink as part of the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit in Grand Forks. Hoeven invited Meink to attend the summit as part of his ongoing efforts to leverage North Dakota’s unique UAS ecosystem to advance counter-drone technologies and capabilities to address the threat posed to military and civilian installations by the misuse of unmanned aircraft and realize practical applications for drones to strengthen and streamline U.S. military operations.

Senator Hosts Air Force Secretary for Virtual Fireside Chat, Outlines Opportunities to Develop New Unmanned Applications, Counter-UAS Capabilities

Upcoming Events

UAS Summit & Expo

Senator Hosts Air Force Secretary for Virtual Fireside Chat, Outlines Opportunities to Develop New Unmanned Applications, Counter-UAS Capabilities.css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}

Upcoming Events

UAS Summit & Expo

Senator Hosts Air Force Secretary for Virtual Fireside Chat, Outlines Opportunities to Develop New Unmanned Applications, Counter-UAS Capabilities