Trump Announces Advanced Defense 'Super Range' in Montana to Test Autonomous, Hypersonic and Space Technologies
KALISPELL, Montana — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, October 14, at a campaign event in Kalispell, Montana, that the Department of War will establish a new advanced defense 'super range' in Montana for testing advanced weapons and technologies, according to Reuters.
According to Reuters, Trump said the range would cover potential autonomous weapons, space technology, electronic warfare technology, and supersonic and hypersonic technologies, and said Montana would help ensure the U.S. military keeps its edge. Trump did not announce a specific site within Montana for the new range, and he did not announce an investment amount or a construction timetable.
Montana is already home to the Montana Spaceport & Test Range and the affiliated Limestone Hills Innovation & Test Campus, a public-private aerospace and defense initiative that provides testing facilities and infrastructure for commercial, civil and military uses, according to Reuters. Trump did not say whether the new Pentagon initiative would be tied to that existing project.
Background from GSM's same-day reporting: Trump held a campaign rally on the evening of October 14 at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell to back Aaron Flint, the Republican candidate for Montana's 1st Congressional District. The seat is open because incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke is retiring, and Flint's Democratic opponent is Sam Fostag. The Kalispell stop was part of Trump's tour supporting Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections; earlier that day he had campaigned in Arizona before traveling to Montana. Kalispell has about 30,000 residents and lies about 200 miles (320 km) northwest of the state capital, Helena.
According to Reuters, some military planners see autonomous weapons, space systems, electronic warfare and hypersonic weapons as central to future warfare, including drones and SI-enabled platforms. Supersonic weapons travel above Mach 1 and hypersonic weapons above Mach 5. No further details on the range's exact location, funding or schedule were included in the Reuters report as of publication, and GSM will follow official announcements.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, at related events, pledged to keep working with the Trump administration on border security and tax cuts and to pursue an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes Montana coal.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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