The Texas A&M University System has unveiled a $130M plan to build a new technology development and testing center for the U.S. Army at its RELLIS campus in Bryan, The Eagle reported Friday. The university is spending $50M for the development of laboratories, accelerator space and office space for the Army Futures Command at the campus and another $30M for infrastructure improvements to support the new facility.
The Texas Legislature also approved another $50M for the Texas A&M’s Engineering Experiment Station to create an outdoor testing area on the 2,000-acre site. Texas A&M’s board of regents will vote to begin design and construction of the facility and a groundbreaking is scheduled for this fall.
The university intends to hire up to 25 research engineers within the next year to help the Army test and evaluate emerging technology such as hypersonic and directed energy weapons. Army Futures Command, which employs a total of 24,000 civilians and soldiers, reached full operational capability in July.