DOD’s North Dakota-Based SkyRange Hypersonic Missile Program Advances

SkyRange, a program managed by the Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center, is developing and integrating advanced sensors/capabilities and providing flight operations & maintenance for a fleet of unmanned air-vehicle systems to support the U.S. military’s hypersonic capability development. 20 Global Hawks from the United States Air Force’s 319th Reconnaissance Wing are playing an integral role as launch vehicles.  The Global Hawks are part of the Block 30 divestment plan to restructure intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to meet national defense priorities and support joint all domain command and control capabilities.

The first 5 Global Hawks were transferred months ago to GrandSky Business and Aviation Park (GrandSky), the nation’s first UAS-focused business park, where they joined other Global Hawks that had previously been transferred to GrandSky. The process of transferring the aircraft will be completed by the end of July. The aircraft will be outfitted with new sensor technology as part of the Test Resource Management Center’s (TRMC) High Speed System Test program. These aircraft are being repurposed for the SkyRange mission and will be renamed Range Hawks. SkyRange is supported by GrandSky and partner Northrop Grumman. The program will bolster ongoing UAS operations and research in North Dakota, and will provide high-quality STEM career opportunities.  For more information, visit www.grandskynd.com

In related news, Aerobotix and Automated Solutions Australia (ASA) have announced a robotic automation international partnership to develop, test and manufacture hypersonic missiles. The partnership follows a 2021 signing of the AUKUS security pact between the U.S., U.K. and Australian governments, which includes provisions for the allies to work together on hypersonic and counter-hypersonic systems. For details, visit Robotics-World.com.