North Dakota Air National Guard Flies MQ-9 Reapers from Fargo

Pilots remotely control the unmanned aerial vehicles from a secure facility at the Air National Guard Base.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Fighter Wing operates MQ-9 Reaper drones from a ground control station in Fargo. The Reapers are capable of carrying weapons and can remain airborne for up to 24 hours, with the ability to take off and land autonomously. Pilots keep busy flying training missions across the Upper Midwest, sometimes in joint exercises with the Navy.

Why it matters

The North Dakota Air National Guard's Reaper drone operations highlight the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and potential combat roles. As drone technology continues to advance, there are ongoing debates about the ethical and legal implications of their use, as well as concerns about privacy and civilian safety.

The details

Inside the secure ground control station in Fargo, pilots with the 119th Fighter Wing's "Happy Hooligans" remotely fly the MQ-9 Reaper drones. The Reaper is capable of carrying hundreds of pounds of weapons and can remain airborne for around 24 hours. During training missions, the pilots keep a close eye on an array of monitors displaying the aircraft's position, speed, altitude, fuel, engine status, and air charts. The Reapers also have an Automatic Landing and Takeoff Capability, allowing them to take off and land autonomously under the supervision of the pilots.

  • The 119th Fighter Wing pilots fly training missions across North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Midwest throughout the year, in all kinds of weather.
  • During the KVRR Local News visit, the crew was involved in a joint exercise with the Navy, hundreds of miles away.

The players

North Dakota Air National Guard

The North Dakota Air National Guard's 119th Fighter Wing, also known as the "Happy Hooligans," operates the MQ-9 Reaper drones from a secure facility in Fargo.

MQ-9 Reaper

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of carrying hundreds of pounds of weapons and remaining airborne for around 24 hours. The Reaper has an Automatic Landing and Takeoff Capability, allowing it to take off and land autonomously.

Lt. Col. Lee Teigen

The Operations Group Commander of the 119th Wing, who oversees the Reaper drone operations.

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What they’re saying

“We're going to do some training here in a little bit. We've got some Navy personnel on the other side of the country that are going to do some training with us today.”

— Pilot (KVRR Local News)

“There's an internal go, no-go feature of the aircraft to make sure all the parameters are met. If the parameters are not met, it will abort the takeoff and landing. If they are met, it will start the automation process and the aircraft will takeoff on that pre-programmed flight mission.”

— Lt. Col. Lee Teigen, Operations Group Commander, 119th Wing (KVRR Local News)

“We just went up through the clouds out there. Didn't pick up any icing, which is wonderful.”

— Pilot (KVRR Local News)

What’s next

The 119th Fighter Wing will continue to conduct regular training missions with the MQ-9 Reapers, including joint exercises with other military branches, to maintain their operational readiness.

The takeaway

The North Dakota Air National Guard's Reaper drone operations highlight the growing role of unmanned aerial vehicles in modern military operations, raising ongoing debates about the ethical, legal, and safety implications of this technology.