In a significant move that underlines North Dakota’s growing role in national defense initiatives, a hypersonic missile data processing center is slated to be established at the Air National Guard base at Hector Field. This announcement was made by Senator John Hoeven, during the Grand Farm Autonomous Nation Conference at the Fargo Microsoft campus on Aug. 29. The data center is a crucial component of the Sky Range hypersonic missile testing program, poised to transform the landscape of missile development and testing.
The Sky Range system stands as a game-changer in the realm of hypersonic missile technology. Hypersonic missiles, capable of flying at speeds exceeding Mach 5, are known for their unmatched speed and maneuverability. Sky Range plays a pivotal role in advancing the next generation of these hypersonic missiles, with a specific focus on testing and data collection. A total of 20 RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawks are being divested by the 319th Reconnaissance Wing and transferred to the Sky Range program.
Senator Hoeven emphasized the centrality of North Dakota’s role in this transformative defense initiative. He highlighted how Sky Range empowers data scientists to delve into terabytes of information, aiding them in better comprehending the complexities of hypersonic missiles. He stated, “Sky Range is a game-changer for our nation’s efforts to develop and test the next generation of hypersonic missiles, and North Dakota plays an ever-more central role in this critical aspect of our defense.”
The heart of the Sky Range system lies in its unmanned aircraft system-based missile tests. These tests are data-intensive and demand a secure data processing center, which will find its home at the Air National Guard base at Hector Field. Unlike traditional testing methods involving flights in local airspace, the U.S. Defense Department conducts hypersonic vehicle tests over the open ocean. Unmanned aircraft operated from Grand Sky, adjacent to Grand Forks Air Force Base, will collect data from these tests. The collected data will then be processed at the newly established data center in Fargo.
A critical aspect of Sky Range’s advancement is the replacement of conventional ship-based missile tracking with modified Global Hawks unmanned aircraft. These advanced drones can be quickly deployed and significantly augment testing capacity. The establishment of the new operations center is anticipated to be completed later this year. Meanwhile, the old operations center at Hector Field is slated to house the Test Resource Management Center’s Sky Range hypersonic missile testing program by 2025.
Senator Hoeven highlighted the cost and time-saving benefits of using the existing facility at Hector Field for the data processing center. He mentioned that setting up a new facility could cost up to $20 million, but repurposing the current one is not only a cost-effective solution but also accelerates the timeline by two years.
For more information, hit the Source below