South Dakota’s Ellsworth base will be home to B-21 bomber

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota will be the home of the next-generation nuclear bomber, the B-21 Raider.

The U.S. Air Force plans to build and eventually operate over 100 of the stealth bombers, which are capable of launching nuclear strikes around the globe. The aircraft will likely be housed at several Air Force bases, including locations in Texas and Missouri.

U.S. Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds say they heard from the Air Force Wednesday that it has officially made Ellsworth the bomber’s first operating base. The announcement represents an economic boon for the western part of South Dakota.