releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5e68dfdc-ed31-4059-837e-7c1cccfcde4d
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5e68dfdc-ed31-4059-837e-7c1cccfcde4d | Heitkamp: Letter of Intent Signed for Grand Sky Business Park | 2014-11-26 | 2014 | 2014-11 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | Senator Has Led Efforts to Complete Enhanced Use Lease Which Will Support Growth of UAS Industry in North Dakota GRAND FORKS, N.D. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that Northrop Grumman has formally signed a Letter of Intent for the Grand Sky business and technology park at Grand Forks Air Force Base, completing the Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) project and making the Northrop Grumman Corporation a tenant at Grand Sky. Heitkamp, co-founder of the Senate Defense Communities Caucus, has been at the forefront of advancing the Grand Sky project which will greatly expand public-private partnerships at Grand Forks Air Force Base and the potential of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in North Dakota. Finalizing the EUL makes Northrop Grumman a worldwide leader in UAS technology the first tenant of the 217-acre business park which will be located on Grand Forks Air Force Base. Grand Sky will provide Northrop Grumman and future tenants with state-of-the-art facilities, added security, access to the bases runway, and the ability to closely collaborate with the Air Force. Finalizing Grand Sky is a significant step forward for the future of public-private partnerships and the development of Unmanned Aerial Systems in North Dakota, said Heitkamp. The Grand Sky business park will have an incredible impact throughout the Grand Forks community, allowing it to fully harness the potential of this emerging and exciting technology. Grand Forks County officials, Grand Forks BRIC members, Northrop Grumman, and the Air Force have all worked hard to make today possible, and Im proud to have been a part of these efforts. Im confident that this agreement will lead to great success for North Dakota, and demonstrate the importance and value of public-private partnerships in our economy moving forward. The UAS industry has the potential to greatly help our state grow and thrive, and I will continue to support efforts to make that possible. Grand Sky is an example of the value of close partnerships between military bases and local communities in North Dakota and across the country. The new business park provides an opportunity for North Dakotas UAS industry to take significant strides in development and innovation, capitalizing on Heitkamps December 2013 announcement that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selected North Dakota as one of six official UAS Test Sites nationwide. After the FAA selected Grand Forks as a UAS test site, Heitkamp brought FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to North Dakota in April to see firsthand the states unmanned aerial potential, where he announced it was the first UAS test site to be officially up-and-running. Since then, Heitkamp has successfully pushed Huerta to make it easier for the test sites to work with private industry. Earlier this month, Heitkamp met with representatives from the Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC) to discuss efforts to finalize the Grand Sky project. In several meetings, Heitkamp has pushed Air Force and Northrop Grumman leaders regarding the positive impact that a fully-functioning Grand Sky business park would have for the Air Force and the private sector. Additionally, in July, Heitkampmet with Colonel Paul Bauman, Commander of the Grand Forks Air Force Base,to discuss best strategies to complete the EUL approval process and create a plan for its successful management. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |