STRATDELA Special #11: Home for the Raider

5 min readJul 22, 2024

B-21 Raider next generation heavy bomber project has achieved some significant progress. The US Air Force is actively working to prepare for its introduction into service. However, having a weapon is only a part of the challenge: construction of basing facilities is crucial. So, today we’ll take a brief look at its ground infrastructure, or “bed down” as US military officials like to call it.

Currently, the work is primarily underway at Ellsworth Air Force Base, which was selected as the first Main Operating Base (MOB) back in 2019. Construction work at Ellsworth is the largest budgeted expenditure for the U.S. Air Force at this time (unless you count Sentinel ICBM-related work at Missile Warren Air Force Base). The Fiscal Year 2025 draft budget requests $282 million for them for one year only. A total of 35 construction projects are planned by the end of the decade.

Ellsworth Beddown

B-1B bombers have been deployed at Ellsworth Air Force Base since 1987 (B-52s stayed there for thirty years before that). After the B-1B ceased to be considered by the US Air Force as a nuclear weapons platform (in the case of the 28th Bomb Wing deployed at Ellsworth it is the turn of 1993/94) the base became purely ‘non-strategic’, ‘tactical’, or whatever term you would prefer.

Here is the Master Plan of the Ellsworth reconstruction, with the legend in the end of this piece and how it looks from the satellites.

In addition, work has now begun on the Environmental Protection Shelters at the Alert Apron and the first ‘street’ — 60 Row.

The EPS is a weatherproof canopy that is not covered front to back. Apparently the low observable coating B-21 unlike the B-2 will allow permanent outdoor presence (but there will be a dedicated Low Observable Restoration Facility to maintain it, construction started summer 2022, due for completion later this year).

Its equipment is minimal, it is indicated that the canopy is only equipped with a lighting system, but not to provide electricity for aircraft or ground equipment, and is not even equipped with a fire alarm system.

Four EPSs will be built for aircraft on duty. On 60 Row, there will be 10 EPSs. At 80 Row there will be 6 more, so there will be room for 20 B-21s in the EPS alone (some will obviously always be in maintenance buildings of one sort or another).

Nuclear dimension

The New START treaty included a provision (Protocol, 2 (a)) ‘Ellsworth AFB … have been eliminated (formally, as nuclear bombers base) when all B-1B heavy bombers based there have been converted to heavy bombers equipped for non-nuclear armaments’.

Actually this part of New START is very useful in terms of inspection specifics, etc. Would be sad if nothing good comes in place, especially given that the B-21 Raider is seen as a prospective nuclear weapons carrier. So, the most important facility to be built is the Weapons Generation Facility (WGF), and AFGSC are not making a secret that it is quite a major effort across the Air Force.

Another name for the WGF is the ‘Special Weapon Maintenance Shop,’ which is more reflective of its mission, but probably also more stressful to the public. The WGF is designed to store, maintain, and equip nuclear weapons. Interesting information is that the equipment will include six 5 ton overhead bridge cranes (five of the six will be nuclear certifiable). The area of the main building is 5,700 sq.m.

Looks like land plot #5 has been chosen for the WGF at Ellsworth.

Its construction was started in May 2024 and is scheduled for completion in March-April 2027. If the New START treaty were to continue until then (or rather a little longer — until the nuclear certification of B-21) it could create a problem.

Future bases

The US Air Force is considering Dyess AFB, Texas and Whiteman AFB, Missouri as prospective bases for B-21 deployment. Although the decision has not yet been officially announced, Dyess is likely to be chosen: the draft FY2025 budget for Dyess already requests funds for construction of the Refueler Truck Yard and LRS Fuels Administrative Laboratory.

Interestingly, Dyess has the same status as Ellsworth as a non-nuclear base for the B-1B, and was also listed in the New START treaty. Obviously, here too, WGF construction and a return to nuclear status will be required in the coming years.

What happens next?

Well, we see that there is an expansion of the US heavy bomber facilities, with new bombers calling for new weapons. Moreover, nukes are coming back to where they were previously. Also, it is possible that in the future there will be more interest in such platforms in other countries. Heavy bombers are not the most survivable and capable leg of the nuclear triad, but they are flexible and usable both for deterrence and conventional warfighting, as explained in great detail here. STRATDELA will keep you in the loop, so don’t forget to signup to the newsletter!

PS Just in case, coordinates for the Ellsworth AFB: 44°08'58.6 ‘N 103°06’10.8 ’W

PPS There was a STRATDELA Special on B-21.

Legend to the construction plan slide

EPS — Environmental Protection Shelters

WRSS — Armament Shop

WLT — Weapons Loader-Trainer

ADAL Sim Facility — Add/Alter Flight Simulator Facility

FTU — Formal Training Unit

FTD — Field Training Detachment Facility

MPF — Mission Operations Planning Facility

LO Hangar — Low Observable Restoration Facility

Sources