The U.S. Army is making several of its military testing ranges available to private companies as part of an effort to accelerate the development and evaluation of emerging defense technologies. The initiative includes a Michigan facility where companies will be able to assess drones and counter-drone technologies under electronic warfare conditions designed to replicate challenges encountered in Ukraine.
According to the Army, companies will not need an existing government contract or partnership to request access to the testing facilities. The initiative is intended to speed up the development and evaluation of unmanned systems, counter-unmanned aircraft technologies, long-range weapons and low-cost interceptors.
The Army plans to open four testing locations in the United States and one overseas. The facilities are Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, West Cibola Range in Arizona, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi, Camp Grayling in Michigan and the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center in Morocco.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said the process is intended to remove administrative barriers that can prevent smaller or innovative companies from demonstrating their technologies. Companies can apply through a centralized online portal, where they can review the capabilities and testing parameters offered by each facility. However, the Army cautions that submitting a request does not guarantee access to a particular range or a specific testing schedule.
The initiative comes as the Pentagon is pursuing broader reforms aimed at accelerating the acquisition of drones and counter-drone systems. The Defense Department has established Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to coordinate and streamline counter-drone efforts, including through a recently introduced online marketplace.
The push also comes amid concerns over U.S. stocks of critical weapons following the war involving Iran. Reports have indicated that U.S. forces used a significant portion of their Patriot missile interceptor inventory during the conflict. Although Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth challenged reports that commanders had described interceptor supplies as critically low, the Pentagon has continued to urge defense manufacturers to increase production of key weapons.
Camp Grayling is set to play a particularly important role in the new initiative. Beginning in September, the Michigan facility will host an “electromagnetic unreliability test event” for private-sector companies. The event is expected to be conducted on a recurring quarterly basis and will recreate electronic warfare conditions similar to those experienced by forces operating in Ukraine.
Testing capabilities will differ among the participating facilities. Dugway Proving Ground, for example, supports testing of long-range fires, while West Cibola Range is currently focused on drone and counter-drone evaluations.
The program is being coordinated by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command in partnership with the Mississippi and Michigan National Guard and U.S. Africa Command. By providing industry with easier access to realistic military test environments, the Army aims to shorten development cycles and bring new battlefield technologies into service more rapidly.
