U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton of Arkansas have joined with Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to introduce the SkyFoundry Act of 2025. The proposed legislation aims to establish a Department of Defense drone production facility at the Red River Army Depot. The facility would focus on developing, producing, and fielding drones for military use.
Senator Boozman highlighted the importance of the depot’s workforce: “The men and women of the Red River Army Depot are committed to providing our servicemembers with the tools they need to defend our nation,” he said. “With unmanned aircraft systems playing an increasingly prominent role in modern warfare, tasking them with developing and sustaining an adequate supply of drone systems would be a win for this skilled workforce and our armed forces. I am pleased to join my colleagues to champion this effort and the Arkansans whose vital contributions to Red River support our national security and local economy.”
Cotton emphasized how expanding drone manufacturing at Red River aligns with defense priorities. “Large-scale manufacturing of small drones is critical to the Army’s current and future operational capability,” he stated. “This bill is a win for national security and for Arkansas as the Skyfoundry program presents a unique opportunity to more fully utilize the Army’s organic industrial base by positioning Red River Army Depot to meet the Army’s emerging requirements.”
Cruz underscored Texas’s role in advancing defense technology: “Establishing a drone manufacturing facility at the Red River Army Depot will help ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of drone production,” he said. “I’m proud to see the Lone Star State continuing to lead in defense innovation, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to swiftly pass this legislation.”
Cornyn pointed out international competition in unmanned systems: “Russia and China are currently outpacing America in scalable drone production and investment, making us vulnerable to national security threats if left unmatched,” he explained. “This legislation seeks to close this gap and help ensure America remains competitive with our foreign adversaries by establishing a new innovation and production facility that would rapidly improve our ability to develop, test, and mass-produce small unmanned aircraft systems.”
The SkyFoundry Act proposes creating both a production facility and an innovation center dedicated specifically for small unmanned aircraft systems at Red River Army Depot. It plans on using a Government-Owned, Government-Operated Contractor Augmented model—blending military personnel, civilian staff, and contractors—to manage operations efficiently while also encouraging partnerships among industry stakeholders, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations.
In recent years, Senator Boozman has secured funding initiatives supporting workforce needs at Red River Army Depot—successfully obtaining $47 million in 2024 for workforce support as well as advancing another $93 million through Senate appropriations processes aimed at construction projects related to veterans affairs.
Local economic groups such as Texarkana Chamber of Commerce along with TexAmericas Center have endorsed this legislative proposal.
A companion version of this bill has been introduced in the U.S. House by Congressman Pat Harrigan from North Carolina’s 10th District.
