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Air Force Puts B-1, Other Long-range Bombers In 1 Command

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — B-1 bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas are joining their long-range B-2 and the B-52 bomber counterparts under a single Air Force command.

The U.S. Air Force announced Monday that it is grouping its bombers under Air Force Global Strike Command, a nuclear-capable command based in Louisiana.

U.S. Sen. John Thune says the shift solidifies Ellsworth’s status as a “premier” Air Force site.

The leadership change also puts the Air Force’s next-generation bomber program, frequently called the Long Range Strike Bomber, under the same command.

The new bomber is expected in the early or mid-2020s. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III says the single command will better coordinate the Air Force’s long-range strike capabilities.