As Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB), SD, prepares to become the permanent home for the next-generation Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider long-range strategic bomber, the base will have its seventeen Rockwell B-1B Lancers temporarily relocated.
However, they won’t have too far to fly as the bombers will remain based in the Mount Rushmore State.
The Cold War-era bombers – along with 800 Airmen – will begin to make the move to Grand Forks AFB, beginning in the coming weeks, after the environmental assessment and legal review were completed.
Different Base – Same Mission
For most of 2025, the B-1Bs that are currently assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB will call Grand Forks their home, but the mission will remain unchanged. The long-range aircraft will continue to support home station taskings, which is currently expected to last about 10 months.
The first B-1B will arrive to help the ground crews prepare the maintenance operations before the full fleet arrives early next year. During the next month, aircraft maintenance professionals will conduct day-to-day inspections and repairs to ensure the B-1B fleet remains safe for flight, while large-scale, scheduled maintenance activities will be performed at the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, TX.
It will be business as usual – but with a few notable differences.
Grand Forks is the headquarters for the 319th Reconnaissance Wing, which operates the RQ-4B Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance unmanned aircraft launched and flown remotely all over the world. The unmanned aerial system (UAS) is employed to gather information and monitor multiple areas of operation with growing strategic interest, including NATO’s eastern flank.
The base had previously been the home of the 319th Bomb Wing and was home to the B-1B from 1987 until 1994. So it is a welcome home for the Lancer.
“There’s no doubt integrating the B-1 community into our Grand Forks Unmanned Aerial System ecosystem will pay dividends for everyone involved,” said Col. Tim Monroe, 319th RW commander. “This temporary relocation is the vanguard of Air Force integration, readiness, and agile combat employment, and epitomizes the mantra of One Team, One Fight.”
This is also just the most recent base swap involving the B-1. Following a mishap last January, which shut down the runway, several of Ellsworth AFB’s bombers relocated to Dyess AFB, TX. While there, the aircraft were still tasked and conducted strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iranian-backed militant groups.
Getting Ellsworth Ready for the Raider
The temporary relocation of the B-1B bombers will allow Ellsworth to prepare the base for the Lancer’s replacement. Ellsworth AFB will next complete a runway construction projection as the next part of the base’s preparations for its arrival.
“The runway construction at Ellsworth AFB is a key milestone in ensuring we’re ready to receive the B-21 Raider,” said Col. Derek Oakley, 28th BW commander. “This project illustrates the U.S. Air Force’s commitment to our nation’s newest long-range strike bomber and the surrounding community.”
Construction projects for the bomber hangers and other facilities are well underway at Ellsworth and are now nearing completion. According to the Air Force, residents near Ellsworth AFB may notice more construction traffic and should expect an increase in military vehicle freight and air traffic noise throughout the fall and into winter.
Rapid Growth Near Rapid City
The base, which is located near Rapid City, is already one of the largest employers in South Dakota, and according to a 2017 estimate, it had an annual economic impact of over $350 million. However, it almost was shut down, and in 2005, was even briefly on the Pentagon’s list of military bases that should be closed or relocated.
However, in March 2019, it was selected as the preferred base to host the first Raider bomber unit and first formal training unit.
The B-21 is Coming
Ellsworth AFB won’t be the only base that will need to get ready for the B-21 Raider. In September, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall approved the second and third basing locations for the Air Force’s newest bomber.
As expected, the bases include Whiteman AFB, MO; and Dyess AFB, TX, in that order. Each will receive aircraft as they become available. Current plans call for the Air Force to acquire at least 100 of the advanced bombers, while some military analysts have called for the air service to purchase at least 200 Raiders.
The B-21 was officially unveiled two years ago in December 2022 and is currently in low-rate initial production (LRIP) after making its maiden flight last November. Since then, it has been executing flight tests. While similar in appearance to the Northrop B-2 Spirit, the Raider is a generational leap in aircraft technology and development.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the B-21 Raider is a “dual nuclear and conventionally capable, stealth, penetrating, long-range strike platform.” The B-21 will replace the aging B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit in the coming decade.
