Army Accelerates Weapons Development by Opening Test Ranges to Private Defense Contractors

The U.S. Army announced Friday that it will grant private defense companies access to military test ranges to develop and evaluate missiles, drones and other weaponry with the goal of accelerating deployment timelines. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll made the announcement at a testing facility in Michigan, stating the initiative will streamline the lengthy approval process that has historically delayed weapons procurement.

Driscoll pledged that companies will gain access to domestic test ranges or facilities operated by allied nations within 30 days of submitting requests through a newly launched online marketplace. He emphasized that the current system—which can require 12 to 18 months for testing approval—fails to meet modern operational needs and prevents technologies from reaching soldiers who could benefit from improved capabilities and safety enhancements.

The move reflects shifting global conflict dynamics, including Iran’s deployment of Shahed drone swarms against U.S. forces in the Middle East and Ukraine’s rapid advancement in unmanned aerial systems during its defense against Russian invasion. The Pentagon has also grown concerned about depleting stocks of expensive advanced weapons, some costing millions of dollars per unit, prompting leadership to encourage smaller manufacturers to develop cost-effective alternatives.

Covenant Industries became the first company to utilize the program, testing its Anthem cruise missile at an Army facility in Morocco and establishing what company executive Abby Denburg described as a “repeatable pathway” for other manufacturers. The initiative permits drone and missile developers to access five Army ranges for testing new systems without requiring an existing military contract.

A Center for Strategic and International Studies analysis recently found that recent conflict operations have significantly reduced U.S. stockpiles of advanced interceptors such as Patriot and THAAD missiles, potentially forcing allied nations to accept greater risks to preserve air defenses. President Donald Trump disputed media reporting on the matter Thursday, claiming the nation maintains “a larger arsenal than any nation in the history of the world” while acknowledging that certain munitions face tighter supply constraints.