Cramer Announces Grand Forks Air Force Base Selected for Advance Counter-Drone Defense Pilot Program

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BISMARCK, N.D. - Breaking News: U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota announced Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) has been named by the U.S. Department of War (DOW), as one of four sites nationwide for a new pilot program testing advanced Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) technologies designed to detect, disable, and destroy hostile drones. The program was authorized in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which Cramer helped craft as chair of the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee.

The cutting-edge systems include high-powered microwave, laser, and similar technologies aimed at strengthening protections for critical military facilities and assets against growing unmanned aircraft threats.

"After putting language in the National Defense Authorization Act to stand up four sites for employment of covered Counter-UAS systems, I am pleased, but I'm not even a little bit surprised, the Department of War has named Grand Forks Air Force Base as one of those four," said Cramer. "I've been in regular discussions for the last couple of months with Brig. General Matt Ross, who heads up the Joint Interagency Task Force, stood up to work on this, as well as with Secretary Hegseth and General Caine. Late last week I closed the loop with General Wilsbach, the chief of staff of the Air Force, who realized that Grand Forks was a center of excellence for UAS offensive capabilities as well as having the potential to be a counter-UAS center of excellence. He and I talked about this a lot. It's great ACC recognized that and made Grand Forks Air Force Base the Point Defense Battle Lab for ACC-and for all of the Air Force-but now they have the Department of War and JIATF 401 recognizing the same thing. It's very rewarding.

"This isn't just about Grand Forks Air Force Base; it's about the entire ecosystem," continued Cramer. "It's the capabilities at the University of North Dakota, it includes Camp Grafton, our wonderful Army National Guard facility that has not only technical capabilities, but good land, and a big range. The North Dakota National Guard is also proficient at UAS and countering-UAS. And of course, the Space Force Station up at Cavalier. The communities of Cavalier, Camp Grafton, Devil's Lake, and Grand Forks provide a perfect triangle. Along with the relationship that has been developed in our state with the Federal Aviation Administration, which is so critical to opening airspace for testing advanced systems like directed energy. It's not everywhere you can do that sort of a high tech, kinetic testing. Grand Forks was the perfect place. Our Department of War, our military men and women, our assets on the ground and everywhere else, need to get more proficient at countering small UAS. And JIATF was stood up for that. Grand Forks is prepared for it."

The announcement marks another major milestone for North Dakota's growing role in national defense, unmanned aerial systems innovation, and next-generation military technology development.