Hoeven Secures Nuclear Modernization, Counter-UAS & National Guard Priorities in FY2025 NDAA

Hoeven Secures Nuclear Modernization, Counter-UAS & National Guard Priorities in FY2025 NDAA

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement after Congress passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The annual legislation includes important priorities that Hoeven worked to advance for servicemembers and missions in North Dakota, supporting the state's growing role in the nation's defense. These include:

• More than $5.6 billion in authorizations to advance nuclear modernization at Minot Air Force Base, including the Sentinel, B-52 and Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) missile programs, as well as provisions to:
  • Prohibit reductions in the number of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
  • Create a new Assistant Secretary of Defense to oversee nuclear deterrence policies and programs across the Department of Defense (DoD).
• Strengthening Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS):
  • Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy for countering threats from unmanned aircraft to DoD facilities, personnel and assets.
  • Stands up a Counter-UAS Task Force at DoD.
• $4 billion in authorizations for the Space Development Agency, including the low-Earth orbit satellite program based in Grand Forks and Cavalier Space Force Station.
• Hoeven-sponsored provisions benefitting the North Dakota National Guard to:
  • Modernize the UH-72 Lakota helicopter.
  • Direct DoD to develop a plan for providing the MQ-1C Gray Eagle to the Army National Guard.
• Authorizing a larger pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers (E-4 and below) and a basic pay increase for all other servicemembers.
• Prohibiting for an additional two years, federal rules that would require contractors to disclose emissions, consistent with Hoeven's Focus on the Mission Act.
• Greater support for Israel in the war against Hamas, requiring DoD to provide the nation with intelligence and advice and expanding anti-tunneling cooperation with Israel.

"As our nation faces new and growing threats, whether from the nuclear ambitions of our adversaries or the misuse of unmanned aircraft, we need to properly equip and support our men and women in uniform. That's exactly what we've worked to accomplish with this year's defense authorization bill," said Hoeven. "Importantly, this bill helps keep nuclear modernization in Minot on track, while supporting our efforts for Grand Forks to lead the way in new Counter-UAS technologies and Space Force operations. At the same time, we continue working to strengthen the capabilities of our outstanding Guard members, including by modernizing the Lakota helicopter already flown by the Army National Guard and bringing the Gray Eagle into their operations as well."

Counter-UAS Efforts in North Dakota

Hoeven's priorities in the FY2025 NDAA build upon his efforts to leverage North Dakota's expertise in unmanned aviation to address security threats arising UAS. To this end, Hoeven has been working to expand the size and scope of Project ULTRA, an initiative led by the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and Grand Sky, and utilize the program to accelerate the development of DoD counter-UAS capabilities by leveraging technology developed in the private sector.

The senator previously discussed this priority at the UAS Summit in Grand Forks with Gen. David Stewart, who is leading the effort to protect against the misuse of unmanned aircraft across all military branches. He also continues to advance the priority with key DoD officials, such as Air Combat Command (ACC) Commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown and Dr. William LaPlante, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

-###-