WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – The United States Air Force announced Wednesday which bases will be hosting the new B-21 Raider bombers.
Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knob Noster, Missouri, will be one of the hosting bases. In addition to Whiteman, Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota will be hosting the new bombers. It is still unknown which base will receive the bomber first.
According to a release published by the USAF, “The current bomber bases will minimize operational impact, reduce overhead, maximize re-use of facilities and minimize cost.”
Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said the current bases are well suited for the B-21, according to a news release. Wilson expects the B-21 Raider to be delivered in the mid-2020s.
The B-21 Raider, manufactured by Northrop-Grumman, will slowly be replacing the B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The B-21 was designed to replace aging bombers such as the B-2 and B-52. The B-2 was also made by Northrop-Grumman between 1988 and 1997, according to a fact sheet produced by Northrop-Grumman.