Montana ARNG Heliport

Military restructuring and consolidation. The heliport was closed following the relocation of its primary aviation unit, Company B, 1st Battalion, 189th General Support Aviation Regiment of the Montana Army National Guard. As part of a U.S. Army-wide aviation restructuring initiative, the unit and its six CH-47 Chinook helicopters were transferred to the Army Aviation Support Facility in Helena, MT, to consolidate the state's military aviation assets in one location.

The heliport is permanently closed. The physical site remains part of the active Billings Armed Forces Reserve Center at 2915 Gabel Road. The large paved area that once served as the tarmac and helipads is now repurposed for other ground-based military activities, such as vehicle parking, equipment staging, and training for the Army Reserve and National Guard units still based at the center.

The Montana ARNG Heliport was a crucial military facility co-located with the Billings Armed Forces Reserve Center. It served as the home base for a heavy-lift helicopter unit operating CH-47 Chinooks. The operations handled at this heliport were vital for both federal and state missions. This included military transport and logistics, pilot and crew training, and significant support for civilian authorities during emergencies. The unit was frequently deployed for disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and notably, for aerial firefighting support across Montana and neighboring states, using large water buckets (Bambi Buckets) attached to the Chinooks.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the facility as a heliport. The closure was a result of a strategic, long-term military consolidation plan. Re-establishing an aviation unit in Billings would require a major reversal of this U.S. Army strategy, making any prospect of reopening extremely unlikely.