Army opens up 5 test ranges to private sector for weapons tests

The U.S. Army is giving private companies access to five testing ranges so they can experiment with critical weapons technology, the Pentagon’s latest effort to streamline procurement and replenish stockpiles.

“We have built it, and we hope that (the program) is wildly successful,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Friday at Camp Grayling, Mich., one of the ranges.

The Army is opening up four U.S. bases and one in partnership with Morocco for testing drones, counter-drone technology, long-range missiles, low-cost air defense interceptors and other weapons. It’s aiming to get companies on the range within 30 days of a request to secure a booking, while a typical wait can stretch between 12 and 18 months, Driscoll said.

The announcement marks the latest in the Pentagon’s efforts to speed weapons testing and production amid recent concerns about dwindling munitions stocks as a result of the Iran war.

CNN this week reported that the United States has used nearly 80% of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile stockpile and about half of its Patriot interceptors since the war began Feb. 28, citing sources familiar with a recent inventory assessment. That estimate was in line with concerns raised by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan think tank in Washington, in a July 27 report.

President Donald Trump has sought to downplay those worries, posting Thursday on Truth Social that “defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history.”

The Washington Post reported Trump demanded answers from Hegseth over munitions. Trump rebuffed that he is “extremely happy” with the job Hegseth is doing.

The Trump administration sent Congress in June a $87.6 billion ​supplemental ​budget ​request, with funding for the latest conflict.

The funding includes $21 billion for munitions, $17.3 billion for operational costs, $2.4 billion for drones, $1.7 billion for readiness, $12.1 billion for other classified programs and $800 million for National Guard support in Washington, D.C., and other cities.

That request is currently stalled in Congress.

The Army has created a new website, testrange.army.mil, similar to what people see in the commercial world, Driscoll said.

“We have made it a literal concierge-esque experience, where each company will get one human being that will help them through the process, that will get them to the range and make sure that it is successful,” the secretary added.

The five test ranges announced Friday include four in the US and one abroad:

The Army will host an event the week of Sept. 13 at Camp Grayling that will mimic electronic warfare conditions currently seen on the battlefield in Ukraine to help defense firms test drones and counter-drone systems, the service said in a statement.

The Army anticipates this opportunity will be repeated on a quarterly basis.