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GRAND FORKS – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), celebrated the grand opening of Hangar 2, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.’s (GA-ASI) new Flight Test and Training Center. The facility, located at Grand Sky, will help address the high demand for flight crew training and sensor system testing.
“Today, as we celebrate General Atomics’ new hangar and Grand Sky, we also celebrate Grand Forks and North Dakota's contribution to security around the world,” said Senator Cramer. “General Atomics was attracted here by the ecosystem, and you have added to it with the same pioneering spirit we value here in North Dakota. When people talk about Grand Forks, they talk about the sky, the culture, and the ecosystem General Atomics and others have developed here. This is a dynamic time for Grand Forks, and it matters to our state and the security of a free world.”
“We're excited to open another permanent hangar at our Flight Test & Training Center in North Dakota,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “The new hangar represents our ongoing investment in test and training capabilities that provide our customers with a world-class facility to train aircrews in the operation of our aircraft.”
Background:
GA-ASI, an affiliate of General Atomics (GA), produces a series of unmanned aircraft and provides electro-optical, radar, signals intelligence, and automated airborne surveillance systems. GA’s Electromagnetic Systems Division produces electro-magnetic aircraft launch and recovery systems for the U.S. Navy, satellite surveillance, electro-magnetic rail gun, high power laser, hypervelocity projectile, and power conversion systems.
Grand Sky broke ground in 2015. It is a partnership between the U.S. Air Force, County of Grand Forks, and Grand Sky Development and is the first commercial unmanned aerial system (UAS) park in the nation, attracting global industry leaders like GA.