• The opening: The Army is opening five test ranges — four in the US (Dugway Proving Ground, West Cibola Range, Camp Shelby, Camp Grayling) and one in Morocco — to private industry, letting companies request access via testrange.army.mil without needing an existing government partnership.

  • The purpose: The move aims to speed up development and testing of drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires, and cheap interceptors; Camp Grayling will host recurring "electromagnetic unreliability" test events simulating Ukraine-war electronic warfare conditions starting September.

  • The context: The initiative follows Pentagon efforts like Joint Interagency Task Force 401's counter-drone marketplace and reports of depleted Patriot interceptor stockpiles after the Iran conflict, with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll framing it as removing bureaucratic barriers for companies "with a good idea."