An airlift by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter atop Highwood Baldy Mountain, roughly 40 miles northeast of Great Falls, took place Aug. 21 in conjunction with Malmstrom personnel and the Montana National Guard.
The aircraft hoisted four microwave dishes to the Peak of Highwood Baldy Mountain where they will be installed on a 100-foot tower that was previously brought up in 20-foot sections.
The helicopter crew completed 50 lifts in a two week time frame in a joint effort supporting the Air Force Space Command funded Wide Area Coverage Project. The project brings Air Force and Montana communication capabilities into the 21st Century through digital communication and will further enhance communication within the 341st Missile Wing missile field, which stretches across nine counties and 13,800 square miles.
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