Illustration of a B-21 Raider in a hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. Credit: U.S. Air Force graphic.

Conti Federal has been contracted to renovate and convert a maintenance hangar into a B-21 “Raider” Fuel Cell Hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) in Rapid City, South Dakota, US.

The B-21 Raider stealth bomber is a long-range, highly survivable aircraft and can penetrate enemy airspace carrying a variety of weapons.

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Ellsworth AFB is the first main operating base for the B-21 mission.

The contract is worth $31.7m and marks the company’s fifth project in support of the new bomber aircraft bed down programme. It has been awarded by the US Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District.

Under the contract, Conti Federal will be responsible for transforming approximately 26,000ft² of an existing hangar into a specialised fuel systems maintenance dock.

The updated facility will include a bay for a single aircraft, maintenance storage areas, and service utility rooms, enhancing the base’s capabilities for the B-21 Raider’s support.

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Conti Federal will also construct a connecting corridor to an adjacent Fuels Systems Maintenance Dock, which is being constructed by the company.

The comprehensive renovation is expected for completion by November 2026.

Conti Federal US operations vice-president Ryan Kanzleiter said: “This is our fifth project in support of the B-21 bed down programme at Ellsworth Air Force Base, so I am very confident in our team’s readiness to construct this latest mission-critical hangar facility.

“While aircraft hangars are uniquely tailored to each installation, we have the know-how and expertise to support this project. This award creates construction efficiencies with our adjacent Fuels Systems Maintenance Dock project and provides critical mission readiness for the US Air Force.”

Currently at Ellsworth AFB, Conti Federal is constructing four other facilities in support of the B-21 bed down programme.

These facilities include a radio frequency hangar, weapons loader training facility, fuels systems maintenance dock, and a phase maintenance hangar.

The US Air Force selected Whiteman AFB in Missouri and Dyess AFB in Texas as the second and third MOBs for the B-21 mission.

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