The environmental assessment and legal review are complete, officially paving the way for the temporary movement of 17 B-1B Lancers and 800 Airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, to Grand Forks AFB, beginning in December.
The aircraft, assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, will continue to support home station taskings out of Grand Forks AFB during their relocation, expected to last about 10 months. As the first base to receive the new, next generation bomber - the B-21 Raider - the temporary relocation allows Ellsworth AFB to complete a runway construction projection as part of the base's preparations for its arrival.
"The runway construction at Ellsworth AFB is a key milestone in ensuring we're ready to receive the B-21 Raider," said Col. Derek Oakley, 28th BW commander. "This project illustrates the U.S. Air Force's commitment to our nation's newest long-range strike bomber and to the surrounding community."
While residents around Ellsworth AFB notice more construction traffic, locals in the Red River Valley will begin seeing an increase in military vehicle freight and air traffic noise throughout the fall and into winter.
The first B-1B expected to arrive in December will be remain in place to help prepare the maintenance operations before the full fleet arrives early next year. Aircraft maintenance professionals will conduct day-to-day inspections and repairs to ensure the B-1B fleet is safe for flight, and large-scale, scheduled maintenance activities will be performed at the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas.
"There's no doubt integrating the B-1 community into our Grand Forks Unmanned Aerial System ecosystem will pay dividends for everyone involved," said Col. Tim Monroe, 319th Reconnaissance Wing commander. "This temporary relocation is the vanguard of Air Force integration, readiness, and agile combat employment, and epitomizes the mantra of One Team, One Fight."
The 319th RW is the headquarters operating the RQ-4B Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unmanned aircraft launched and flown remotely all over the world by Airmen at Grand Forks AFB. As enablers of one of the Air Force's key missions, sensor operators use information gleaned from watching pattern-of-life to defend NATO's eastern flank and monitor multiple areas of operation with growing strategic interest.
The temporary relocation of B-1Bs facilitates key basing actions for Ellsworth AFB, without sacrificing readiness of the fleet. Earlier this year, several of Ellsworth AFB's bombers relocated to Dyess AFB. While there, they were tasked and conducted strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iranian-backed militant groups.
After the runway construction is completed next year the bombers and Airmen will return to Ellsworth AFB. The B-21 Raider is projected to arrive in the mid-2020s.
