Montana Innovation CampusTownsend, Mont.

Test & evaluation · Townsend, Montana

Five million acres. Restricted airspace. One point of contact.

We are a Montana nonprofit that vets, schedules, and coordinates defense test and evaluation (T&E) and training across the state. Tell us what you need to test or train. We find the right range, airspace, or terrain and coordinate approvals and oversight.

Plan a test or training event Partner with us
Terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles · water, roads & places ©OpenStreetMap contributors · R-4601 boundary: FAA · COA & corridor from MIC planning mapsCampus 46°20′N 111°31′W

Legend

What one call puts within reach

5M+

acres of public and private land statewide

120

acre campus in Townsend

~2 mi

from the campus to the Guard training range under R-4601

6+

locations across Montana

Two ways to work with us

Whether you are bringing a system to test or helping build the campus that supports it, you start with the same team.

For defense contractors, military units, and startups

Test & train

Bring a requirement and we match it to the right site in Montana. Contractors follow the same safety and scheduling standards as military units, and we walk you through each step.

  • R-4601 restricted airspace with kinetic use and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) authorized
  • FAA certificate of authorization (COA) network with beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) transit between endpoints
  • Ranch, river corridor, and historic mine tunnel sites
  • Vetting, scheduling, insurance, and oversight coordinated in one place
Request a test or training event

For state, federal, academic, industry, and community partners

Partner & invest

We are building a nonprofit-governed campus that links defense technology work to jobs and training in rural Montana. Partners help shape what gets built and who it serves.

  • Prototyping and testing of emerging defense systems
  • Skilled-trades, apprenticeship, and STEM pathways with local schools
  • Local suppliers and contractors prioritized for campus projects
  • Neutral facilitation and transparent reinvestment of revenue
Start a partnership conversation

Four zones, one ecosystem

Our work is not tied to one range. It spans restricted airspace near Townsend, a river and lake corridor, private ranches and public lands, and historic mine tunnels. We match each request to the zone that fits it.

Open grassland on the Townsend campus with a steel building and mountains beyond

Fig. 1. The 120-acre campus in Townsend, with the mountains beyond.

See the campus

  1. R-4601 restricted range

    Near Townsend, MT

    The Montana National Guard’s Limestone Hills Training Area near Townsend sits under R-4601 restricted airspace, with kinetic use and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) authorized. We coordinate industry access with MTNG range control, and military training keeps priority.

    • 28,000+ acres
    • R-4601 restricted airspace
    • FAA certificate of authorization (COA) coverage
    • Montana National Guard (MTNG) partnership

  2. First Force Corridor

    Missouri River and Canyon Ferry Lake

    A corridor along the Missouri River and Canyon Ferry Lake for air, ground, and maritime activity, including UAS transit between the Helena COA, near the north end of the lake, and the Guard training area near Townsend. It is named for the First Special Service Force, a joint U.S.-Canadian commando unit that trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena during World War II.

    • Air, ground, and maritime
    • UAS transit corridor
    • Links the Helena COA to the Guard range
    • Named for the First Special Service Force

  3. Private ranches & public lands

    Statewide

    A connected network of private ranches and public land across Montana, with access to more than 5 million acres. It includes a 1,500-acre ranch near Clancy with its own COA and mountainous terrain. It supports long-range shooting and open-terrain training, backed by a SOF training cadre.

    • 5M+ acres of public and private land
    • 1,500-acre ranch with a COA near Clancy
    • Special operations forces (SOF) training cadre
    • Long-range shooting complexes

  4. Subterranean test & training

    Montana's historic mining districts

    Access to extensive underground networks in Montana's historic mining districts. They are available for both equipment testing and subterranean training.

    • Historic mine tunnels
    • Test and training use

Track record

Our team has supported site evaluations, joint training, airspace coordination, and special operations training events in Montana.

  • Site evaluation

    Anduril Industries site evaluation support

    Provided site evaluation support in Montana for a defense technology company.

  • Joint training

    CMI2 Pathfinder joint training support

    Supported joint training for CMI2 Pathfinder.

  • Planning

    Montana Spaceport integration planning

    Supported integration planning with Montana Spaceport & Test Range.

  • Airspace

    Statewide FAA COA and BVLOS corridor coordination

    Coordinated FAA certificate of authorization (COA) and beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) corridor operations across Montana.

  • Training

    U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) training events

    Supported numerous training events for SOCOM training elements.

Key partners

Veteran-led training companies, a statewide space test range, and research institutions working alongside the campus.

  • Helena-based, service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) providing aerospace and defense advisory: mission integration, airspace and UAS integration, and critical-infrastructure resilience. Led by Brig. Gen. Jamie Wilkins (Ret.), MIC Board President.

    primisstrategics.com
  • First Services Group

    SDVOSB training company on a Montana ranch with access to millions of acres of public land. Advanced operations, UAS, and electronic warfare training in the legacy of the First Special Service Force. Led by Keith Foley, CEO and MIC Board Vice President.

    fsg-mt.com
  • Montana Spaceport & Test Range

    Distributed space technology test range across Montana for launch, hypersonics, and UAS/UAV programs.

    montanaspaceport.com

Also working with

  • LeidosIndustry
  • AndurilIndustry
  • Montana State University – MilTechAcademia
  • Army Research Laboratory (ARL)Defense
  • Praxis Simulation Center – Butte, MTIndustry
  • ISAR Services (SDVOSB)Veteran-owned

SDVOSB: service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Tell us what you need to test

Send your mission objective, preferred dates, and the capabilities you need. We review feasibility and come back with options.

Plan a test or training event Partner with us
Lead timeScale in days, from request to event