Senator Invites Company Officials for Site Visit
WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven Tuesday encouraged senior officials of high-tech leader General Atomics (GA) to consider locating a facility in Grand Sky, Grand Forks’ new technology park. GA is one of the world’s leading developers of high-technology systems, ranging from airborne sensors to advanced unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The senator and Linden P. Blue, president of Reconnaissance Systems Group at GA Aeronautical Systems, Inc., discussed the possibility of establish a training academy in Grand Forks. GA is the maker of the Predator series UAS and is exploring plans to train more pilots in UAS operations. Grand Forks, home to the University of North Dakota and Grand Sky technology park, would be an ideal site to locate a training program, Hoeven told company officials. Hoeven offered to host him and other GA officials in Grand Forks for a review of the Grand Sky location and meetings with local leaders.
“Like Northrop Grumman, which manufactures the Global Hawk, General Atomics is just the kind of company that will find an ideal home at Grand Sky, Grand Forks’ new technology park,” Hoeven said. “Colocating leaders like these with a top notch school like the University of North Dakota will stimulate innovation, promote groundbreaking advances in technology and provide educational opportunities. This is how we make Grand Forks the premier northern hub for UAS in the nation.”
California-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was an early leader in UAS, integrated sensor technology and data systems. The company designs and manufactures a range of unmanned aircraft systems, including the ground stations that control them. It also provides pilot training and support services for field operations.
GA also manufactures advanced airborne sensor packages that are specially designed to significantly enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability of both manned and unmanned systems.
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