Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven has announced plans for a new $33 million headquarters for the North Dakota Air National Guard’s 119th Wing in Fargo. The facility will provide nearly 22,400 square feet of space to consolidate leadership, support, and training personnel under one roof. The current headquarters is 66 years old and lacks adequate space, leading to operational inefficiencies and high maintenance costs.

Hoeven, a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee, secured an initial $2 million in Fiscal Year 2025 for planning and design. The design contract is expected to be awarded soon, with a proposed floorplan ready by May 2026. Once approved, the final location will be identified.

The new facility will support various missions of the 119th Wing, including the Regional Training Site (RTS), which offers specialized training programs like Rapid Airfield Damage Repair. This site is one of only four RTS operated by the Air Guard nationwide and the only one in the Upper Midwest region.

“The Happy Hooligans have a record of pure excellence... they deserve facilities that more effectively support the important missions they carry out for our nation," said Hoeven. "This aligns with our ongoing work to not only enhance the Reaper mission flown by the Happy Hooligans but also support the specialized training they offer."

The announcement follows previous efforts by Hoeven to strengthen operations at the 119th Wing. This includes funding a $17.5 million operations center for their MQ-9 Reaper mission and securing funds to upgrade from Block 1 to Block 5 aircraft. Additionally, $10 million was secured in FY25 funding for a data center supporting hypersonic missile testing.