06.23.16

Hoeven Updates Grand Forks Air Force Civic Leaders on Push for Role in Arctic Mission

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today met with members of the Grand Forks Air Force Civic Leaders Program to update them on a possible role for Grand Force Air Force Base in U.S. Northern Command’s (NORTHCOM) Arctic mission. The meeting comes a week after Hoeven talked to the new NORTHCOM Commander, U.S. Air Force (USAF) General Lori Robinson, to review how Grand Forks Air Force Base and its unmanned aerial system (UAS) Global Hawk mission could contribute to NORTHCOM operations in the Arctic region. The Senator also invited Gen. Robinson to visit Grand Forks to see the base’s UAS capabilities.

“The Global Hawks at Grand Forks Air Force Base are ideal for NORTHCOM to use in its Arctic mission,” Hoeven said. “Gen. Robinson and I had a good discussion last week about how we can use Global Hawks in the Arctic and I invited her to Grand Forks to see the Global Hawks first hand and the UAS mission at the base. We will continue to build on these efforts and work to secure a role for Grand Forks Air Force Base in NORTHCOM’s activities in the Arctic.”

In 2014, Senator Hoeven and members of the Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC) traveled to NORTHCOM headquarters in Colorado. In meetings with military officials, including former NORTHCOM Commander Admiral Gortney and General Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle, Commander, Air Combat Command, Hoeven has pressed for the base’s inclusion in an Arctic mission. Earlier this month, Senator Hoeven met with USAF Chief of Staff nominee General David Goldfein and encouraged him to use Grand Forks Air Force Base in Arctic activities. On Tuesday, Grand Forks was named a Great American Defense Community.

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