North Dakota fulfills an ever-growing role in our national defense. Our state leads the way on missions, both new and established, that are critical to U.S. security and ability to push back on the aggressions of our adversaries. We have been laying the groundwork for these efforts for years, going back to my time as governor. With the passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we have the opportunity not only to review the progress we’ve made, but also to chart a path forward where the U.S. can once again lead the world through strength. This will allow us to strengthen our alliances and partnerships around the globe to protect against the dangerous ambitions of nations like Russia, China and Iran. The priorities we’ve advanced through the NDAA will help us do just that.

Counter-drone technologies

A particularly timely issue is the threat posed both at home and abroad to the U.S. from the dangerous misuse of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), better known as drones. We’ve already built North Dakota into a globally-recognized leader in unmanned technology, utilizing resources like the Northern Plains UAS Test Site and Grand Sky technology park to develop partnerships and capabilities that are unmatched. Now, we are leveraging our state’s expertise in this field to lead the way in counter-UAS technologies.

As it stands, our country only has a patchwork approach in place to address the risks from unapproved and potentially malicious uses of drone technology. That’s why we worked to ensure the NDAA directs the Department of Defense (DoD) to:

– Develop a strategy for countering threats from unmanned aircraft to DoD facilities, personnel and assets; and

– Stand up a Counter-UAS Task Force.

These important steps build upon our work to place our state at the center of these efforts. Among others, we’ve connected Dr. William LaPlante, the head of DoD acquisitions, and General David Stewart, the director of counter-UAS efforts across all military branches, with leaders from our UAS industry, showcasing how we can help the military meet this critical need.

We are using these discussions to advance Project ULTRA in Grand Forks as the ideal vehicle for developing and testing counter-UAS technologies. We established Project ULTRA earlier this year to accelerate practical military uses for unmanned technology. Now, we are working to expand the size and scope of this initiative, using technology being developed by our private sector partners to enable a comprehensive and effective counter-UAS strategy for our nation.

Nuclear modernization

At the same time, the NDAA invests in the continued modernization of the dual-nuclear missions at Minot Air Force Base. The nuclear deterrent is the foundation of global stability and has long been our nation’s most cost-effective means of defense. However, our adversaries continue to pursue their nuclear ambitions, developing capabilities that pose new threats to our country and our allies, which we need to be able to deter. Accordingly, we worked to ensure the NDAA authorizes more than $5.6 billion to advance nuclear modernization for Minot Air Force Base, including the new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) cruise missile and the B-52 bomber fleet.

In addition to authorizing funding, I worked to secure policies in the NDAA to support this vital defense priority. This includes creating a new Assistant Secretary of Defense to oversee nuclear deterrence policies and programs across the DoD to keep these efforts on track. The bill also contains a measure I authored to prohibit reductions in the number of currently-deployed ICBMs, ensuring we maintain a strong deterrent while the Sentinel is developed and put into service.

Space Development Agency

Space is an increasingly important part of defending our nation and our interests around the world. The NDAA authorizes more than $4 billion for the Space Development Agency, including the low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite program that we worked to bring to Grand Forks. This program will fundamentally change the way our forces operate around the world. Every soldier, every weapons system, and every mission will benefit from getting these LEO satellites launched. The NDAA, along with my work on the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, will make this new system a reality, focused on the facilities we’ve established in Grand Forks.

All told, the NDAA authorizes a wide-range of priorities and policies supporting our nation’s defense, and North Dakota grows ever more central to the most cutting-edge of these initiatives. But our work doesn’t stop here. We need to get the Senate back to regular order so we can pass the full-year defense appropriations legislation that we crafted to actually commit federal dollars to these important programs. That’s exactly what I will continue working to do under the new Congress and incoming Trump administration.