The “temporarily” relocated unit was originally slated to last 10 months and has nearly concluded, as Ellsworth AFB announced this week that the B-1B Lancers are coming home.
It was a year ago, in December 2024, that the United States Air Force’s 28th Bomb Wing began to temporarily relocate its fleet of Rockwell B-1B Lancer long-range strategic bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB), South Dakota, to Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. The aircraft’s move, along with 800 support personnel, munitions, and support equipment, was carried out as Ellsworth AFB continued maintenance upgrades to prepare for the arrival of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider later this decade.
The “temporarily” relocated unit was originally slated to last 10 months and has nearly concluded, as Ellsworth AFB announced this week that the B-1B Lancers are coming home.
“A few of our aircraft have returned to Raider Country, touching down on the newly reopened runway and restoring the sound of freedom to the Black Hills,” Ellsworth AFB announced in a post on Facebook. “Aircrews, maintainers, and support teams gathered along the flightline as the Lancers rolled in, marking a huge milestone made possible by months of teamwork between Airmen, engineers, and mission partners.”
Grand Forks had previously been home to the 319th Bomb Wing and hosted the B-1B from 1987 to 1994.
It is unclear how many aircraft have returned from Grand Forks AFB, but the transfer that began last year took nearly a month and a half to complete, with the final B-1s arriving in January 2025. A total of 17 B-1Bs have been based at Ellsworth. The B-1s will be retired as the B-21 enters service.
The B-1B Lancer Keeps Flying
The United States Air Force currently operates 45 B-1B Lancers. The aircraft formally entered service 40 years ago as a nuclear bomber, but following the end of the Cold War, it could carry only conventional weapons.
- Year Introduced: 1985
- Number Built: 104
- Length: 146 feet (44.5 meters)
- Height: 34 feet (10.4 meters)
- Wingspan: 79 feet (24.1 meters)
- Weight:
- Empty – 190,000 pounds (86,183 kilograms)
- Maximum takeoff weight – 477,000 pounds (216,364 kilograms)
- Engines: Four General Electric F101-GE-102 afterburning turbofan engines
- Top Speed: Mach 1.25 (approx. 925 mph)
- Range: 6,500 nautical miles (12,000 km)
- Service Ceiling: 60,000 feet (18,000 meters)
- Payload:
- Internal – 75,000 pounds (34,019 kilograms)
- External – 50,000 pounds (22,679 kilograms)
- Aircrew: Four, including an aircraft commander, copilot, and two weapon systems officers (offensive and defensive)
Ellsworth AFB: Future Home of the B-21 Raider
Ellsworth AFB, located near Rapid City, is already one of the largest employers in South Dakota. According to a 2017 estimate, it had an annual economic impact of over $350 million. However, it was nearly shut down, and in 2005, it was even briefly on the Pentagon’s list of military bases to be closed or relocated.
The Department of Defense reversed course and, in March 2019, selected it as the preferred base to host the first Raider bomber unit and the first formal training unit.
Upgrades to Ellsworth AFB have included the construction of a new runway, additional hangars, and other facilities.
The South Dakota base will be just one of the future homes of the B-21 Raider. Last year, the second and third basing locations were confirmed, including Whiteman AFB, MO, the home of the Air Force’s fleet of Northrop B-2 Spirit bombers, and Dyess AFB, TX, which is currently the other home base for the B-1B Lancer.
Although Ellsworth received significant upgrades to host the B-21, it remains unclear if Whiteman and Dyess will receive similar enhancements—or if the bases will make do with the facilities used to host the B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer, respectively.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: DVIDS.
