The US Department of Defense has designated Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC) as a National Range for advanced training involving uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
The designation assigns the NADWC a national role in supporting the testing, evaluation, and training of drones and counter-UAS capabilities, with a focus on operations conducted at extended ranges and in complex environments.
By combining “cutting-edge infrastructure and close ties to Michigan’s world-class technology and manufacturing ecosystem, this designation amplifies our ability to train at speed and scale,” stated the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs of Michigan.
Advanced Training
The NADWC, the largest joint military training range east of the Mississippi River, operates primarily through two military installations in northern Michigan.
Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center provides nearly 200,000 acres (81,000 hectares) of maneuver space for ground operations, while the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center controls more than 17,000 square miles (44,000 square kilometers) of special-use military airspace.
The centers operate across varied terrain, with access to the electromagnetic spectrum and year-round weather, enabling units to test systems and tactics in environments that mirror those of different operational theaters.
The NADWC regularly hosts Northern Strike, a large-scale joint exercise organized by the Michigan National Guard that brings together the US Army, Air Force, and reserve components.
In 2025, Northern Strike involved around 7,500 personnel from more than 35 US states and territories and nine partner countries.
Training activities include multi-domain command and control, combined live-fire operations, cyber and electronic warfare, counter-UAS missions, and other core operational capabilities.
