Approximately Eight B-52 bombers from Minot AFB, N.D., will spend the next six months at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., while engineers at Minot complete a runway overhaul. More than 300 flight crew and support personnel from Minot also deployed to support flight operations from Ellsworth. “We’ve always had a close relationship with Ellsworth and we’re looking forward to being able to fly more with the B-1s,” said Col. Todd Copeland, commander of Minot’s 5th Operations Group. “This will create a synergistic effect between the two bombers.” The runway repairs are slated to cost between $35 million and $50 million, according to the industry solicitation. The first B-52 touched down at Ellsworth on March 26, according to a base release.
Since President Donald Trump first unveiled his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative in late January, much of the focus for it has been focused on space—how the Pentagon may deploy dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and interceptors into orbit to protect the continental U.S. from missile barrages. But the Air…