Possible Facility For New Intelligence Gathering Mission

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The North Dakota Air National Guard may soon have a new intelligence facility right here in Fargo.
 
Senator John Hoeven is working to secure $7.3 million for a modern facility to support the guard’s intelligence targeting mission.

Members of the intelligence targeting mission are working in transitional facilities.

One of the goals of the mission is to help keep the state and the nation secure from foreign cyber threats.
 
The intelligence gathering mission was launched just last year and it’s already outgrowing its transitional facilities.

Millions of dollars is needed to build a permanent facility.
 
“Think about cyber; think about technology, cyber warfare. Think about all the efforts on the part of the Chinese, or the Russians, or you name it that are trying to hack into our systems,” said Senator Hoeven.
 
The intelligence targeting group is tasked with assisting military commanders in identifying and eliminating enemy threats.
 
“This mission is very critical as the senator mentioned for the security of not only the United States, but all our allies as well,” said North Dakota Air National Guard Col. Kent Olson.
 
If approved, the new facility would be built on Hector Field in Fargo and if the timeline is followed, it could be used as early as 2017.
 
“Having this new building sooner than later obviously is our wish, but like you say there may be some road blocks but we’ll all make it through that,” said Col. Kent Olson.
 
“When we have our people on the front lines with the intelligence targeting group leading cyber warfare, we better make darn sure that they have the latest, greatest technology and resources to fight that fight,” said senator Hoeven.
 
The senator also thanked the airmen for their exemplary service and praised them for their contributions to the U.S. national defense.