During a fireside chat Tuesday, David Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, voiced his appreciation for Grand Forks and North Dakota as a whole for its role in the company.
General Atomics is a manufacturer of military unmanned aerial vehicles and operates two hangars at GrandSky Aviation Park, one since 2016 and the other since August 2023 . Alexander said things would have been different for the company if it hadn’t branched out to North Dakota.
“We wouldn’t have made it without expanding up here,” he said. “It is super important, what we have up here.”
Alexander’s chat was part of the first Future Forum event held by the Greater North Dakota Chamber (GNDC), a business advocacy organization, in celebration of the chamber’s 100-year anniversary. The event was held at Minnkota Power Cooperative and included conversations about health care, education, technology, energy, agriculture and the future of business. The fireside chat with Alexander was moderated by GNDC CEO and President Arik Spencer.
The conversation with General Atomics also follows the company’s recent action to join the North Dakota Unmanned Aircraft Systems Council.
General Atomics is headquartered mostly in San Diego, California, Alexander said, and has 78 locations around the world. Its primary customers are the U.S. Air Force, Army and Marine Corps, and Alexander said the company hopes to work with the Navy. The international side has also taken off, and crew and pilot training is building. The company is known for affordable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aviation, and counterterrorism has been a large focus since 9/11.
“If you’re Adam West, it’s hard to get different acting jobs because everyone sees you as Batman,” Alexander said. “So everyone saw us as counterterrorism aircraft.”
Recent work by General Atomics has been in new sensors that can see 100 miles. When they’re all laid down, they create a common operating picture. Using artificial intelligence, strange things — such as a ship acting oddly — can be sensed.
Alexander also spoke of a deeper relationship with Grand Forks. The air space available here made it a more viable area for training, such as high latitude and cold-weather testing. The company has close ties to UND, he said, and Grand Forks has opportunities in unmanned aircraft training that is useful for General Atomics. Local support has also been big for the company, including support from elected officials like Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Kevin Cramer and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, he said.
Local advancements in unmanned aircraft systems has included a contract between the Grand Forks County Commission and United States Department of Defense for UAS testing, development and research at GrandSky. The first task order , approved in May, is part of Project ULTRA (UAS logistics, traffic, research and autonomy), and will study how UAS can deliver military cargo.
Asked how General Atomics fosters innovation and retains talent, Alexander spoke about continuity with leaders and getting employees together regularly to think up new ideas and update the company’s five-year roadmap, continually looking at General Atomics’ trajectory going forward. He said keeping good employees involves giving them interesting things to do and providing them with a mission they believe in. He also gave advice on how businesses can engage more with universities, mainly through strong internship programs.
“If they’re good and you want them back, before they leave, put an offer in their hand,” he said.
Photo: Greater North Dakota Chamber CEO and President Arik Spencer (left) speaks with David Alexander, President of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, at a Future Forum event Tuesday, June 4, 2024. – Grand Forks Herald
Source: Grand Forks Herald