SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A multi-billion-dollar renovation of Ellsworth Air Force Base is underway. Ellsworth will be the primary operating base for America’s newest stealth bomber.
The base just outside of Rapid City is being prepared for the arrival of the B-21 Raider.
The reconstruction encompasses more than three dozen individual projects, ranging from replacing the old concrete and asphalt runway to constructing new high-security maintenance buildings and hangars.
“They are working to finish up the runway; that’s a major project right now. We hope to have the B-Ones back in South Dakota, probably by November. Apparently, they don’t want to spend the winter up in North Dakota,” said Rounds with a chuckle.
The bases B-1 bombers are temporarily stationed in Grand Forks.
The B-1 Lancer is an impressive aircraft, but according to Rounds, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the new B-21 Raider is a game-changer.
“They are probably the most sophisticated weapons system ever developed by mankind. They have a stealth capability to begin with, and it is very similar to what the F-22 fighter has today, similar to what the B-2 bomber has today, but on a more advanced level yet.
The first test aircraft has been flying since 2023 and according to the air force a second is expected to be in the air by the end of this year.
We tried to nail down an arrival date to South Dakota but Rounds was only able to give us hints because the Raider program remains highly classified.
“I think right now we’ve got six in the pipeline right now, and I think one of those is not going to be for deployment, but the other 4 or 5 will be, so they will start moving in here fairly quickly, but it’s not going to happen in the next month or so.
Tom: “2026 maybe?”
“Possible,” said Rounds. Maybe 27.”
The first two squadrons of B-21 bombers produced will come to Ellsworth.
A third squadron will be added later. Pilots selected to fly the bomber will come to Ellsworth for training.
