Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven met with General Thomas Bussiere at Grand Forks Air Force Base and GrandSKY to discuss Project ULTRA and its potential for expanding the military’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and counter-UAS capabilities. General Bussiere, who currently leads Global Strike Command, has been nominated to serve as the next Air Force Vice Chief of Staff.

During the meeting, Hoeven outlined how Project ULTRA could benefit various military activities. He noted that counter-UAS work under the initiative is scheduled to begin this year. The senator also secured an additional $8 million for UAS and counter-UAS research in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2026 funding legislation, making Project ULTRA eligible for these funds. In addition, Hoeven has drafted legislation authorizing a pilot project for the Air Force to use drones to resupply remote facilities supporting nuclear missiles, such as those near Minot. This proposal is included in the Senate’s FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

Hoeven also discussed efforts to bring a future intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission to Grand Forks Air Force Base. He emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate ISR capacity for military operations worldwide and highlighted opportunities for both airborne and space-based missions at Grand Forks.

The visit included a review of the B-1B Lancer bomber mission temporarily relocated from Ellsworth Air Force Base to Grand Forks. Hoeven mentioned discussions about potentially hosting a future B-1B mission from Dyess Air Force Base. He pointed out that investments in systems and infrastructure have positioned Grand Forks as a strong candidate for supporting such missions during updates at their home bases.

“Project ULTRA is an efficient, cost-effective method for realizing the potential benefits of UAS to a wide range of military operations, and we’re working to expand the innovative work being undertaken at GrandSKY,” said Hoeven. “Considering his nomination as Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Bussiere’s visit is a welcome opportunity to showcase the unique capabilities of Project ULTRA and our UAS ecosystem, while making the case for additional partnerships, like the proposal we’re advancing to use drones to supply our missile fields. At the same time, the UAS infrastructure and systems we’ve built up in the region would serve a future ISR mission well, and we continue to make the case for bringing such an operation to Grand Forks.”