Trump says advanced defense test range to be located in Montana

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced ​plans for what he described as a new ​defense "super range" in Montana for ‌testing ​advanced military technologies, including autonomous weapons, space systems, electronic warfare and hypersonic weapons. The president made the announcement at a campaign event in Kalispell, Montana, ‌a city of about 30,000 people some 200 miles (320 km) northwest of the capital Helena, his latest stop on a tour supporting Republican candidates in multiple states ahead of November 3 midterm elections. The ‌stop was part of a broader push amid unexpectedly tight battles in Republican-leaning states.

"I'm pleased to inform ‌you and announce that right here in Montana, the Department of War is going to establish a new super range for testing advanced weapons and technologies, technologies including potential autonomous weapons, space, and electronic warfare technology, supersonics and hypersonics," Trump said. "Montana ⁠will help ​ensure the American military ⁠always reigns supreme," he said.

The state 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 promotes testing facilities and infrastructure for commercial, civil and military ​applications. Trump did not say whether the new Pentagon initiative would have ties with the existing project.

Some ⁠military planners see autonomous weapons, space systems, electronic warfare and hypersonic weapons as central to the future of warfare, incorporating ⁠drones ​and AI-enabled platforms at lower costs with less risk for military personnel. Trump has already promoted space defense, creating the Space Force as a separate branch of the armed forces in 2019. Supersonic ⁠and hypersonic weapons travel at speeds above Mach 1 and Mach 5 respectively. Trump has been announcing government ⁠projects on campaign stops for ⁠the midterms, when all 435 seats in the US House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 US Senate seats will be decided.