Last week, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink traveled to South Dakota to visit the future home base for the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider long-range strategic bomber. Meink arrived at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) and received an update on the facility’s ongoing preparations for the B-21 Raider. He was further briefed on the United States Air Force’s 28th Bomb Wing and its fleet of Rockwell B-1B Lancer bombers.
“Taking ownership of these facilities is a step toward fielding advanced capabilities at scale,” said Meink. “The infrastructure completed today is truly innovative, allowing us to preserve the technological edge and deliver the long-range deterrence our nation depends on.”
$2 Billion Infrastructure Modernization
Ellsworth AFB was named the preferred location for the first B-21 Raider unit and the formal training unit for the future backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s bomber fleet in March 2019. Just over two years later, in June 2021, it was officially designated as Main Operating Base 1 (MOB 1) for the future bomber fleet.
Whiteman AFB, MO, and Dyess AFB, TX, will be the second and third basing locations, respectively, for the bomber.
Current plans call for the Air Force to acquire at least 100 of the advanced bombers, while some military analysts have called for the service to purchase at least 200 Raiders. According to the U.S. Air Force, the B-21 Raider will serve as a “dual nuclear and conventionally capable, stealth, penetrating, long-range strike platform.”
To prepare for the arrival of the Raider, Ellsworth has been undergoing a $2 billion infrastructure upgrade that has included a $161 million Low Observable Restoration Facility and the $81 million Wash Rack and General Maintenance Hangar.
The two buildings are the first completed projects, which will support the B-21 Formal Training Unit.
“The new buildings are engineered specifically to support the B-21. The facilities will allow maintenance personnel to inspect, clean, and maintain the aircraft’s radar-absorbent materials indoors, a process designed to reduce aircraft downtime,” the Air Force acknowledged, adding that after the acceptance of the facilities, the 28th Bomb Wing has deployed its “fit-out teams” to both buildings. The personnel are actively installing computers, furnishings, and secure operational equipment to prepare the structures for use once the Raiders arrive.
“The base is actively flying the B-1 globally while simultaneously building the infrastructure for the next generation of airpower,” added Col. Jonathan Keller, 28th Bomb Wing commander. “Accepting the keys to our first B-21 facilities is exciting for our Airmen, our civil engineer teams and the community partners who support our long-range strike mission.”
Model Runway
Another noteworthy improvement is the reconstruction of its $129.5 million runway, which was completed last November, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on December 3, 2025. The extensive 10-month project upgraded the 13,497-foot runway to support the next-generation B-21.
Throughout most of 2025, the 28th BW relocated its fleet of B-1B Lancers to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. It was akin to a homecoming for the Cold War bomber, as the facility previously hosted the Lancers from the early 1980s until 1994.
Ellsworth AFB has hosted the B-1B since 1986, when it replaced the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress fleet.
The Old B-ONE Will Keep Flying
U.S. Air Force plans had called for the B-1Bs to begin to be retired in the early 2030s as the B-21 enters service, but earlier this year it was announced that the service seeks to avoid a “bathtub” – a potentially dangerous gap in bomber strength and capacity. As a result, the Air Force is investing nearly $1.7 billion to extend the service life of the remaining B-1Bs through 2037.
There are now 45 Lancers in the active fleet, and due to a crash in early 2025, the service was forced to regenerate a retired aircraft from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group’s (AMARG’s) “Boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. The remaining aircraft are expected to receive upgraded communications, data links, and defensive avionics to ensure the aging warbirds are able to integrate with modern joint military networks.
The bombers are also being upgraded with Large Adaptable Modular (LAM) pylons that will allow the bomber to carry up to 50% heavier and more versatile stand-off ordnance. In addition, efforts are being taken to address airframe fatigue.
There remain some operational readiness concerns, as the B-1B is a highly maintenance-intensive aircraft, carrying a historical mission-capable rate of roughly 47%, meaning that fewer than 22 aircraft are typically fully ready for combat deployment.
Ellsworth Remains the Mount Rushmore State’s Largest Employer
Located near Rapid City, SD, Ellsworth AFB was established in 1942 as Rapid City Army Air Base. Created to train B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crews during World War II, it was renamed in 1953 to honor Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth, who died in an RB-36 crash.
It was briefly placed on standby status in 1945, but was permanently reactivated due to the increased tensions with the Soviet Union. It went on to become a cornerstone of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and was one of the first bases to host the massive long-range bombers beginning with the Convair B-36 Peacemaker in the early 1950s.
It welcomed the B-52 Stratofortress in 1957, and also hosted Titan I Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) between 1960 and 1963.
Today, Ellsworth AFB is the second-largest employer statewide and the largest single employer in western South Dakota, supporting 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the state, and it has an annual economic impact of over $900 million on the regional economy. It directly employs over 4,100 military and civilian personnel, a number that is projected to grow significantly as the base transitions into housing the new B-21 Raider bomber fleet.
