Powder River Training Complex: Moving Forward!

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Over the past few years I have written about the proposed Powder River Training Complex that would extend into southeastern Montana. The expanded training area would be used by B-1 and B-52 airplanes from Minot and Ellsworth Air Force Bases in North and South Dakota. Of course other planes from other bases could use the area, too. It would expand to about 28,000 square miles from the current 8,300 square miles.

The Billings Gazette reported yesterday:

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration notified Montana that the Air Force was seeking approval for the training area first proposed in 2008. As final step in the matter, the FAA is seeking public comment by April before making its decision.

I have totally supported the expansion from the beginning.

Unfortunately, the Montana congressional delegation has not supported the expansion. Since 2008, elected officials in Montana have basically told anyone and everyone that Montana’s skies are closed. Their backward thinking may have even caused the Montana Air National Guard to lose their jet fighter mission – plus hurt the chances of Malmstrom AFB (near Great Falls) from ever getting another flying mission.

Montana’s newest senator, John Walsh, a former adjutant general for the Montana National Guard has come out against the expansion. The Gazette reported, “Montana Democratic Sens. Jon Tester and John Walsh sent a letter opposing the bomber training area to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III.”

Here’s a helpful hint for Montana’s new senator: You should take the lead on military and defense issues – because you have the experience. In case you don’t realize it, Tester never served his country in the military – and neither did Congressman Steve Daines. You are the man, so lead.

I have one other piece of advice for Sen. Walsh: don’t follow Tester too closely – he may make a sudden stop and then your nose might become stuck where the sun doesn’t shine.

I imagine we’ll soon hear Daines come out against the expansion, too. Maybe there’s some big donor who owns land in the area?

I do applaud U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) for his tireless work on the expansion and his support for our military. You can read his latest opinion piece about the expansion HERE. The Rapid City Journal editorial board also approves the expansion.

Hopefully the Powder River Training Complex expansion will be approved in the near future, no matter how the Montana congressional delegation feels about it.

Note: You can read all my columns about the Powder River Training Complex by going to “Categories” on the right side of the screen, then clicking on the dropdown menu and selecting “Powder River Training Complex.”

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3 thoughts on “Powder River Training Complex: Moving Forward!”

  1. The skies of Montana are not closed, they are open! I wish to keep the airspace that is outside of MOA’s and a number of other restricted airspaces open. I am in favor of a well trained Air Force, however I look at sectional charts of this United States, and I see a huge amount of training airspace for them. Do they not have enough yet? If the Government was to make a highway “grab” and prevent motorists from traveling across this state freely you and I and most Montanans would be outraged. This is how pilots feel about this, after all we are the ones most effected by this.

  2. Seriously if you were a pilot you would be appalled by this power grab. I fly out of Miles City. When this area is active look how far I have to divert going south. How about those companies engaging in business in the Bakken? Do we really need this?

    • The key words in your response were “when this are is active.” It’s not a big deal. Our military needs open airspace to train.

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