US Air Force bases spending billions to prepare for B-21 Raider arrival

The Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is set to become the most expensive military construction story in US Air Force history, with the aircraft itself accounting for only part of the cost. Preparing bases to field the new stealth bomber requires rebuilding runways, hangars, fuel systems and security infrastructure at installations, several of which still reflect a bomber design dating back decades.

Billions of dollars are already committed to five installations across four states. Each site is working to its own construction deadline ahead of the Raider's arrival on the ramp.

Taken together, the projects represent one of the largest peacetime military construction efforts the service has undertaken in decades. The work covers runways and fuel farms as well as housing and classified weapons storage. The source does not name the individual bases or give a total programme cost.