Construction firm Conti Federal has secured $49.8m contract to construct 80 environmental protection shelters (EPS) for the US Air Force’s (USAF) B-21 Raider programme at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB).
The company was appointed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Omaha District.
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Under the terms of the contract, Conti Federal will build six pre-engineered metal shelters totalling 20,000ft2, alongside three maintenance kiosks, supporting airfield and ground equipment paving, and work to partially demolish and repair existing facilities.
The shelters are designed to shield the B-21 from adverse weather and environmental conditions, supporting long-term operational readiness and reducing maintenance requirements by minimising exposure on the flightline.
Completion of all construction work is expected by November 2028, Conti Federal said.
With the latest contract, the company’s work at Ellsworth Air Force Base now spans several key facilities. These include the Alert Facility, Flight Simulator Facility, Phase Maintenance Hangar, Radio Frequency Hangar, Fuel Systems Maintenance Dock, Dock 81, 60 Row EPS North, 60 Row EPS South, and the Weapons Loader Training Facility.
According to the company, this collection of contracts comprises the most extensive portfolio of B-21 bed-down infrastructure awarded to a single contractor at Ellsworth.
Conti Federal US Operations vice president Korey Mullins said: “Being entrusted with our tenth project supporting the B-21 Raider bed-down at Ellsworth Air Force Base reflects the confidence USACE Omaha District has placed in our team and the success of our enterprise approach to delivering complex, concurrent military construction projects.”
The award to Conti Federal follows the US Air Force’s transition to the operational preparation phase for the B-21 Raider at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Ellsworth is designated as the future home of the B-21 Formal Training Unit and will serve as the initial main operating base for the new bomber fleet.
Preparations at Ellsworth continue, with upgrades and infrastructure work underway in parallel with ongoing B-21 testing, which included successful aerial refuelling with a KC-135 Stratotanker in April.
Developed by Northrop Grumman, the B-21 Raider is intended to serve as the core of the Air Force’s next-generation long-range strike capability, with the ability to deliver both conventional and nuclear weapons.
As a sixth-generation aircraft, the B-21 is expected to operate alongside the B-52 as one of the two principal bombers in the Air Force’s future fleet.
Last month, the Air Force also confirmed that the B-21 will be crewed by two pilots.
