Pentagon officials are expected to confirm today that they've chosen the Grand Forks Air Force Base to operate and maintain two of the military's most widely used unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Grand Forks base is slated to become a center for the Air Force's Predator and Global Hawk UAVs, Sen. Kent Conrad said Thursday.
Fargo's Air National Guard base is expected to take part in the mission by using its F-16 pilots to operate Predator drones, Conrad said.
"This will be a strong example of how these joint operations can work," Conrad said. "This is good news, important news for Fargo and Grand Forks."
Lt. Gen. Stephen Wood, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, and Brig. Gen. Charles Ickes, deputy director of the Air National Guard, are expected to release more details about the plans today during a press conference at the Pentagon.
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In Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries, the military operates hundreds of UAVs every day. Some carry and fire weapons while others are used for reconnaissance and surveillance.
"Systems like the Predator and Global Hawk are the wave of the future," said Loren Thompson, a Washington-based military analyst and professor at Georgetown University.
During a typical mission, the Global Hawk can fly 1,200 miles then loiter over an area for 24 hours.
It can provide live video to ground crews stationed anywhere. The Predator can carry air-to-ground missiles or laser-guided bombs. The UAVs are operated by pilots on the ground.
Dick Walstad, chairman of Fargo's base retention committee, said the Air Guard's involvement in the UAV mission is welcome news.
The military also is considering stationing four C-27 light transport planes at the Fargo Air National Guard base, Walstad said.
"We were hoping we would get more fighters for Fargo, but considering the alternatives this may be a plus for us," he said.
On May 13, the Pentagon released its Base Realignment and Closure plan that calls for relocating Grand Forks' 50 air tankers and most of the base's personnel.
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In the BRAC plan, the military also recommends eliminating future flying missions at the Fargo base after retiring its 22 F-16 fighters by 2007.
More than a third of the Fargo base's infrastructure would be mothballed under the plan.
The UAV mission offers great potential, but little is known about how big a role the Grand Forks base will play, said John Marshall, who directs Grand Forks' Military Affairs Committee.
"It's good news, but until we get some definite answers we're going to keep looking for additional missions."
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526
