Hoeven: Packet Digital Selected for U.S. Military Procurement Award, Will Receive Up to $50 Million

Hoeven: Packet Digital Selected for U.S. Military Procurement Award, Will Receive Up to $50 Million

Senator Worked to Secure Funding for Packet Digital to Expand Domestic Battery Manufacturing to Support Army, Navy, Air Force & Special Forces Operations

FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today announced that Packet Digital has been selected to receive up to $50 million to expand its domestic battery manufacturing capacity under the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) Program. As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to:

• Fund the APFIT initiative and advance the company's selection under this competitive, merit-based program.
  • APFIT seeks to more quickly meet warfighter needs and address gaps in U.S. military capabilities by procuring mature technologies from small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors.
• Build upon partnerships that the senator previously funded and established between Packet Digital and the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Space Force.
  • The award will enable the company to expand production lines at its Badland Batteries manufacturing facility in Fargo in order to meet demand for high-power battery packs for unmanned systems operated by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces.

"Every day, North Dakota is finding new ways to meet the needs of our warfighters in innovative and cost-effective ways. This up to $50 million award to Packet Digital is a testament to these efforts, building on the partnerships we established between this company and the Navy, Air Force and Space Force," said Senator Hoeven. "This funding is about expanding our domestic industrial base, ensuring our nation can produce the battery technology we need to strengthen U.S. unmanned operations, while reducing our reliance on materials from adversaries like China. Packet Digital has a proven track record, and this award will help them scale up their operations at the Badland Battery facility in Fargo."

"Our next-generation lithium-ion cell technology delivers both high power and high energy density, making it essential for unmanned air, sea and space missions," said Packet Digital CEO Terri Zimmerman. "This award will help us ensure our military maintains a technological edge and has a reliable domestic battery supply chain."

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