President Donald Trump used a campaign rally in Montana on Wednesday to announce a new Pentagon project: a military “super range” for testing advanced weapons and emerging warfare technology.
Speaking at Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell, Trump told supporters the planned facility would support work on autonomous weapons, space and electronic warfare technology, and supersonic and hypersonic systems, Fox News reported.
“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,” Trump said, according to Fox News.
The announcement puts Montana in line for a role in developing and testing the military’s next generation of capabilities. But major details—including the site, cost and timetable—remain undisclosed.
Montana Wins A Sought-After Project
Trump framed the decision as a victory for Montana, telling the crowd that other states had wanted the project.
“The rest of our country maybe won’t be thrilled because a lot of other people wanted it also,” he said, according to Fox News.
The president credited Montana’s Republican lawmakers with pressing the case, singling out Sen. Tim Sheehy with a joke about his persistent lobbying.
“You’re getting it, everybody, will you please leave me alone?” Trump quipped. “Leave me alone, Tim. Tim Sheehy would drive me crazy.”
Advanced Weapons, Unanswered Questions
The proposed range would accommodate testing across several areas of military development, from autonomous systems to technologies designed for operations involving space and the electromagnetic spectrum.
Trump also named supersonic and hypersonic systems among the capabilities envisioned for the facility. Hypersonic weapons travel at least five times the speed of sound, according to the Government Accountability Office, as cited by Fox News.
Trump did not identify where in Montana the range would be established, how much it would cost or when testing would begin.
The announcement came during a rally supporting Republican House candidate Aaron Flint and Senate candidate Kurt Alme ahead of the November midterms.
Kalispell was Trump’s second campaign stop Wednesday, following an appearance in Arizona. He had campaigned in Alaska the previous day as part of his Western swing.
