Hoeven: Grand Forks Taking Two Major Steps Forward in Counter-UAS Leadership

Hoeven: Grand Forks Taking Two Major Steps Forward in Counter-UAS Leadership

Senator Worked to Secure Grand Forks' Selection for Air Force Battle Lab, Bring AV Halo Counter-UAS System to GrandSKY

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - At a reception to kick off the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit today, Senator John Hoeven announced two major developments in counter-drone operations in the Grand Forks region:

• The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC) has selected Grand Forks Air Force Base as the home of the new Point Defense Battle Lab.
  • Hoeven worked with both General Kenneth Wilsbach, former ACC Commander and nominee to be Air Force Chief of Staff, and current ACC Commander General Adrian Spain to advance Grand Forks' selection.
  • The battle lab is a key part of the service's effort to develop and test advanced technologies to defend installations from small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) threats.
  • The initiative will work to rapidly test and validate technologies that can help defend specific locations against UAS threats, aligning closely with the work of Project ULTRA.
  • The specific details of the lab's operations will be developed in the coming months, and Hoeven will work with the ACC to best leverage the existing partnerships in the region.
• AeroVironment is bringing its counter-UAS system, AV Halo, to GrandSKY.
  • Earlier this year, AeroVironment acquired BlueHalo, a company that Hoeven previously worked to partner with the Sky Range program and Grand Forks Air Force Base, having secured a total of nearly $16 million for those efforts.
  • AeroVironment is now expanding its presence in the state with the installation of AV Halo, which includes the Titan radar system, providing 360-degree long range surveillance.
  • AV Halo's command software uses data from the Titan radar to provide a mission-ready operating picture for counter-UAS detection and air domain awareness.
  • AV Halo will be immediately positioned to support both Project ULTRA's counter-drone research and testing as well as that of the new ACC battle lab.

"Our efforts to bring both the Point Defense Battle Lab and AV Halo to the region truly add to the unique UAS ecosystem we've built in Grand Forks, further securing our role as the premier location for unmanned aviation, including drone and counter-drone research and testing. Importantly, these two announcements work in tandem. The Air Force needs help to address UAS threats, particularly those to our domestic bases, while companies like AeroVironment have the technical solutions the Air Force needs," said Hoeven. "We've seen in Israel and Ukraine how drones are being used to wage war in new and dangerous ways. Between Project ULTRA at GrandSKY, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and the Grand Forks Air Force Base, the capabilities and partnerships we've built in this region will enable our nation to tackle this emerging threat."

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