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SD Delegation: Ellsworth Air Force Base Joins New Command

Associated Press0

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota congressional delegation says Ellsworth Air Force Base is joining a new command, which U.S. Sen. John Thune says solidifies its status as a “premiere” Air Force site.

The delegation announced the change Monday that moves the base and its B-1 bombers under Air Force Global Strike Command, a nuclear-capable command based in Barksdale, Louisiana.

Thune says the command change is a “clear signal” Ellsworth is well positioned to secure the Air Force’s proposed next-generation bombers when they are produced.

Mark Gunzinger is a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. He says Ellsworth’s proximity to training airspace and relatively light air traffic mean the base would be a strong candidate for the future bomber.

The new bomber is expected in the early 2020s.

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