Ellsworth AFB receives $2 billion upgrade as B‑21 Raider production accelerates

A $4.5 billion construction effort is upgrading Ellsworth Air Force Base, with a $2 billion investment earmarked for the remote site, and the base will host the Formal Training Unit for all B‑21 pilots.

The project is intended to speed B‑21 Raider production by 25 percent, aiming for a fleet of at least 100 aircraft and a unit cost target of roughly $692 million, while senior Pentagon officials are pushing the baseline to between 145 and 185 bombers, with the first operational B‑21s expected at Ellsworth in 2027.