WATCH: Rep. Vasquez Calls on Space and Missile Defense Officials to Prioritize New Mexico Military Installations to Meet the Needs of the Modern Battlefield

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called on Lieutenant General Heath A. Collins, USAF Director of the Missile Defense Agency, to strengthen investment in key research, testing and development projects being done at Kirtland Air Force base and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to maximize national security and the efficient spending of taxpayer dollars.

"In New Mexico, Kirtland Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range have been at the forefront of developing and testing cutting edge technology, which includes, most recently, the testing of the Next Generation of Short Range Interceptors," said Vasquez. "It's evident that these bases play a critical role in air and missile defense that the Department relies on to keep the homeland and our allies safe."

Vasquez went on to note that the electronic warfare and directed energy systems being developed and tested at these New Mexico installations "offer relatively inexpensive but effective alternatives for taking down low-cost drones, short-range rockets, artillery, and mortars." With a demonstrated capability to defend against missile threats for as little as $3 per shot, Vasquez argued that the Department of Defense should be investing heavily in the technologies being pioneered at Kirtland Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range to optimize both national security and return on investment for taxpayers.

"General, I encourage you to keep utilizing these important bases in my district, which have played a leading role in testing and utilizing the next generation of defense since World War II," continued Vasquez.

WATCH THE HEARING CLIP HERE

As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Vasquez has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to supporting national security and public safety in New Mexico. In 2025, he helped pass the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), delivering vital investments for New Mexico's military installations, service members, and national laboratories.

###