May 31--Representatives of government, academic and private organizations signed a "strategic alliance agreement" Thursday to further promote unmanned aircraft systems in the Grand Forks region.
The Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee, UND, and Northland Community and Technical College signed the agreement with Northrop Grumman, an industry leader in UAS technology research and development, at the Unmanned Aircraft Action Summit in the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.
"I can't think of anywhere else in the country with this level of partnership," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said of the agreement, which links the "main players" in the proposed business park at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
The signing improves the area's bid with the Federal Aviation Administration to become one of six national test sites for integrating unmanned aircraft into manned airspace, officials said. Hoeven said a decision from the FAA should come by December, and the Grand Forks region bid -- or Northern Plains bid -- has a good chance of being selected.
"Our focus is to make the Grand Forks region the premiere hub of UAS in the United States," he said. "As you can tell, we're pulling out all the stops, and we've been working on (integrated airspace) before anyone else was talking about it."
Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said a key to making the Northern Plains bid stand out above the other 49 bids is the broad support across many sectors.
"I think what makes us unique -- and I find this a lot in Washington -- is that this is a team effort," he said. "We don't have competing interests squabbling, we work as a group.
"Above all else, we have ethical teamwork. It's because we have people that pull together -- across state lines, even -- to work towards the same goal."
Grand Sky
That same teamwork has paved the way for a one-of-a-kind business park at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, recently named Grand Sky.
"There is nothing like this anywhere else in the country," Hoeven said.
BRIC has put forth a lot of effort to bring Grand Sky this close to a reality, Grand Forks County Commissioner John Schmisek said, and "you can see how that effort has paid off." Northrop Grumman has agreed to be an "anchor tenant" at Grand Sky, and one of the first planned buildings in the park will have 20,000 square feet of classroom and office space for UND and NCTC students and staff, with high bay areas for practical applications of classroom sessions.
Financially, the park has a target investment of $300 million in facilities if the Northern Plains test site is approved. The North Dakota legislature approved $5 million for building infrastructure in the park, $4 million pending approval of the bid.
"It's important (for the bid) to show the federal government we are willing to invest, not just talk about it," Gov. Jack Dalrymple said. "Our money is on the table, so to speak."
Schmisek said the park could support up to 3,000 jobs, and a lease agreement with the Air Force is expected to be finalized by October, with construction on the park beginning in 2014.
"We believe this will be one of the most significant economic opportunities in the region, and in the state," Schmisek said. "We already have a lot of assets in place."
Call Jeffries at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1105; or send email to [email protected].
Pullout:
--225: Acres of Grand Forks Air Force Base land to be part of the Enhanced Use Lease for the development of Grand Sky
--1.2 million: Square footage of proposed buildings in Grand Sky, with the potential to expand
--3,000: Number of jobs Grand Sky could potentially support
--300 million: Dollars targeted for investment in facilities and infrastructure for Grand Sky, including $5 million already secured from the North Dakota Legislature
--4: The proposed Grand Sky lease would make it four times larger than any other industrial park in North Dakota
Copyright 2013 - Grand Forks Herald
