Image source: topwar.ru
On November 5, a ceremony was held at Dice Air Base in the US state of Texas to begin construction of the first specialized facility to service future operations of B-21 Raider strategic bombers. The event was attended by representatives of the US Air Force Command, American politicians and local officials.
The cost of the project is estimated at 78 million dollars. A complex with an area of about 4.3 thousand square meters will be built on the territory of the base, designed for planning B-21 combat sorties and coordinating aviation operations.
According to the US military, the building will become one of the key elements of the future infrastructure for the operation of new aircraft. It will receive modern communication systems, secure information networks and specialized work spaces.
The commander of the 7th Bomber Wing, Colonel Robert Sturgill, called the future facility the nerve center of the entire B-21 infrastructure at Dice Air Base. According to him, the complex will provide planning and preparation of combat missions using modern communication and security systems.
The construction of the new building is part of a larger modernization program for the airbase. In the next ten years, the US military plans to implement more than 24 projects for the construction and reconstruction of various facilities. The total investment is estimated at about $1.6 billion.
The work will affect not only the aviation infrastructure. The plans include the renovation of hangars, barracks, children's institutions and other facilities necessary to ensure the activities of military personnel.
Deputy Secretary of the United States Air Force Matt Lohmeyer said that Dice Air Force Base has played an important role in ensuring American strategic deterrence for decades. According to him, the appearance of the B-21 Raider should strengthen these positions.
An American official called the B-21 the world's first and only new-generation strategic bomber. At the same time, such statements primarily reflect the official position of the Pentagon, which considers the program as one of the main elements of the future development of American military aviation.
Senator Ted Cruz, who also attended the ceremony, noted the importance of the airbase for the US military potential. He stressed that the appearance of new aircraft will allow Dice to play a central role in the development of American combat aviation in the coming decades.
The modernization of the base is related to preparations for the future operation of the B-21 Raider. This aircraft is being developed by Northrop Grumman and should gradually complement, and in the future partially replace, the existing American B-1B and B-2 strategic bombers.
Thus, the United States continues to invest heavily in the development of infrastructure for long-range air strikes. Only one facility in Texas will cost the US budget $ 78 million, and the entire base modernization program will require more than a billion. These expenses show how expensive it is for Washington to maintain global military ambitions and prepare for the operation of a new generation of strategic weapons.
