Ellsworth Air Force Base held groundbreaking ceremonies Monday on a new weapons generation facility that’s part of preparing to be the first home of the new B-21 Raider bomber.
Air force officials said the new generation facility will act as an all-in-one storage and maintenance facility for Ellsworth’s current and future munitions, including the ability to store and maintain nuclear weapons.
It will directly support the B-21’s role as a strategic deterrent for adversaries such as China and Russia, but will also have a strong impact on the local economy by bringing a lot of work to the area.
Major General John Newberry, Commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, says several hundred construction workers will be needed over the next several years to help build the new facility, which will be staffed by nearly 400 airmen.