{"id":29155,"date":"2019-03-27T22:20:11","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T22:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/03\/27\/ellsworth-to-be-first-operational-b-21-base\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:06:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:06:10","slug":"ellsworth-to-be-first-operational-b-21-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/air\/2019\/03\/27\/ellsworth-to-be-first-operational-b-21-base\/","title":{"rendered":"Ellsworth to be first operational B-21 base"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force announced on Wednesday that it has chosen Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to be the first base to house an operational B-21 bomber<\/a> unit, as well as the formal training unit for the Raider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas will follow, and receive B-21s as they become available<\/a>, the Air Force said in a release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese three bomber bases are well-suited for the B-21,\u201d Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said in the release. \u201cWe expect the first B-21 Raider<\/a> to be delivered beginning in the mid-2020s, with subsequent deliveries phased across all three bases.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The release said Ellsworth was chosen as the preferred location for the first of the advanced long-range strike bombers because it has enough space and existing facilities to accommodate simultaneous missions at the lowest cost, and with minimal impact across all three bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it will probably be 2021 before the final decision on where to base the B-21 is made. The Air Force said that decision will be made after it complies with the National Environmental Policy Act and other regulatory and planning processes as part of the service\u2019s strategic basing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\t