08.20.25

Hoeven Makes Case to Defense Secretary for Designating Camp Grafton as a DOD Drone Test and Training Range

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as part of his efforts to have Camp Grafton Training Center in North Dakota designated as a Department of Defense (DoD) national test and training range for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS operations. The request from Hoeven follows Secretary Hegseth’s recent directive to establish at least three national ranges to bolster U.S. drone dominance.

Camp Grafton currently supports counter-UAS testing and offers:

  • 10,000 acres of flexible training space with controlled airspace.
  • Access to Devils Lake for maritime applications.
  • Year-round use by military and federal agencies.
  • Integration with North Dakota’s UAS ecosystem, including the University of North Dakota and the Northern Plains UAS Test Site.

“Camp Grafton’s facilities and ranges offer airspace, terrain, and infrastructure uniquely capable of providing immediate support for DoD’s UAS and counter-UAS testing and training needs... The installation already supports UAS and counter-UAS testing activities, including counter-UAS testing by the Department of Homeland Security and a variety of private industry partners,” wrote Senator Hoeven.

Full text of the letter can be found here.

 

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