FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Two Indiana military training sites will be available for commercial companies to test drone and counter-drone technology under an expanded U.S. Army initiative.
Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center and Muscatatuck Training Center were added to the Army’s Permissive Test Range Expansion Initiative, Acting Army Secretary Adam R. Telle announced Wednesday at the fifth annual Northeast Indiana Defense Summit in Fort Wayne.
The partnership between the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and the Indiana National Guard will give private companies access to military testing environments to develop and evaluate new defense technologies.
Camp Atterbury offers more than 34,000 acres of secure space and restricted airspace extending up to 40,000 feet. Muscatatuck Training Center covers 1,000 acres and features configurable urban infrastructure for testing drone navigation, tracking and counter-drone systems.
“Expanding this initiative to Indiana is a win-win for national security and defense innovation,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Gaydon, commanding general of the Army Test and Evaluation Command.
The initiative is designed to help commercial developers test and refine technology without some of the administrative hurdles associated with accessing military ranges.
Maj. Gen. Larry Muennich, adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, said the designation will help connect defense companies with military operators and expand Indiana’s role in developing emerging technologies.
Companies can request access to the sites through the Army’s test range reservation portal. Requests are subject to availability, and the Army’s private industry concierge team will help coordinate testing schedules and requirements.
