Sitting in the front row at this past Friday’s ribbon-cutting of the new NGA campus in St. Louis, I had a distinct sense of witnessing history. This was not simply the opening of another government building; it was the unveiling of a facility designed to shape the way the United States and its allies — particularly the Five Eyes partnership — will see and understand the world for decades to come.
From that vantage point, I listened as Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, Governor Mike Kehoe, Mayor Cara Spencer and others addressed the audience. The occasion carried both ceremony and weight, marking the NGA’s largest single investment outside Washington. The scale and ambition of this project are extraordinary.
As NGA Director Vice Admiral Whitworth remarked, “This isn’t just a building opening. This is the beginning of a new chapter for NGA.”
Governor Mike Kehoe captured the spirit of the day by noting, “This is the catalyst — the opening of this building today, the rebuilding to bring north St. Louis … This is now our anchor point. This is our flag that we put in the ground.”
And DNI Tulsi Gabbard reminded us of the broader purpose. “The NGA’s new home has a purpose that extends beyond the operational mission … it will help grow the next generation of talent in the intelligence community.”
What makes the campus so compelling is not only its size, but its design. It has been purpose-built for three levels of engagement:
- Public spaces to welcome visitors and foster international and community outreach.
- Secure but unclassified areas where allies, industry and academia can collaborate openly.
- Classified operations zones reserved for the most sensitive work.
It is, in short, a building that recognises the necessity of both openness and security.
During the day I had valuable conversations with senior defence colleagues, economic leaders, innovators — and even Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh. Our discussion turned to aviation, technology and the importance of inspiring the next generation. It was a reminder that this campus is not only about intelligence and security, but also about connecting history to the future, and vision to possibility.
St. Louis was chosen for this $1.7 billion investment not by chance, but because of the strength of its surrounding innovation ecosystem — the Cortex Innovation Community, T-REX, and NGA’s own Moonshot Labs among them. These institutions have built a thriving geospatial hub where government, academia, entrepreneurs and international partners can work side by side. They were a decisive factor in anchoring NGA here, ensuring the campus is woven directly into a network of innovation.
From a UK perspective, the message is clear: Britain and the USA are at the table together, along with their allies. St. Louis is now firmly established as a centre of geospatial intelligence, and the UK is present — in the labs, in the partnerships, and in the wider ecosystem that is taking shape around this campus.
By April 2026, NGA will be fully operational here. When that time comes, this site will be on the itinerary of every British minister, diplomat and industry leader visiting the United States. It is not just a secure facility; it is a platform for collaboration and a symbol of the enduring Special Relationship.
That relationship has deep roots in Missouri. Nearly 80 years ago, Winston Churchill stood in Fulton, Missouri, and spoke for the first time of the “special relationship” in the face of global challenge. This past Friday in St. Louis, that same spirit endured — allies bound together by trust, common cause and shared future.
The Five Eyes alliance has always rested on trust, shared purpose and the conviction that together we are stronger. This past Friday, in St. Louis, those principles were not merely spoken about — they were made visible in bricks, mortar and vision.
And I must say, from the front row, it was rather inspiring to witness it first-hand.
