The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $74.8 million Whiteman B-21 hangar contract on September 5, 2026, marking the first B-21 Raider construction contract at the bomber’s second main operating base. The Kansas City District awarded the firm-fixed-price deal to Conti Federal Services LLC, with an estimated completion date of September 25, 2029.

The contract covers a radio frequency and measurements hangar with a single B-21 aircraft position, the same kind of specialized facility the Air Force has already built for the bomber’s first base at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. Whiteman currently hosts the B-2 Spirit fleet and was selected as the B-21’s second Main Operating Base.

What the $74.8 Million Contract Covers

The award, contract number W912DQ-26-C-A048, carries a total cumulative face value of $74,978,377 and was solicited via the internet, drawing three bids. It provides for construction of a B-21 program radio frequency and measurements hangar with one aircraft position, along with associated back shops, material storage, and administrative and facility support spaces.

Whiteman B-21 hangar: Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bomber at its public unveiling in Palmdale, California
File photo: The B-21 Raider was unveiled to the public at a ceremony Dec. 2, 2022, in Palmdale, California. Not from Whiteman Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Radio frequency and measurements facilities let maintainers verify a stealth aircraft’s low-observable characteristics are performing as designed, a routine part of keeping a low-observable airframe combat-ready. Fiscal 2026 military construction, defense-wide funds covered the full $74,787,155 base award at the time it was announced.

Whiteman’s Transition From B-2 to B-21

Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, is currently the U.S. Air Force’s only home for the B-2 Spirit, hosting the 509th Bomb Wing’s fleet of the stealth bombers. The Air Force designated Whiteman as the B-21 Raider’s second Main Operating Base, behind Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, which was named MOB 1 in 2019 and formally designated in June 2021. Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, rounds out the program as the planned third location.

The B-21 is designed to eventually replace both the B-1B Lancer and the B-2 Spirit, giving the Air Force a single, more capable stealth bomber across its fleet. For Whiteman, that means the base will need to stand up B-21-specific infrastructure — the Whiteman B-21 hangar covered by this contract is the first piece — while continuing to operate and maintain its existing B-2 fleet in the meantime.

Following Ellsworth’s Blueprint

Ellsworth Air Force Base has absorbed roughly $2 billion in B-21 infrastructure investment as the bomber’s first Main Operating Base and Formal Training Unit location, and the Whiteman B-21 hangar contract signals that same buildout is now extending to a second base. Conti Federal alone has handled more than ten separate B-21 construction projects there, including a $70 million Radio Frequency Hangar awarded in 2023, a $135.5 million Phase Maintenance Hangar, a $31.7 million Fuel Cell Hangar conversion, and multiple rounds of environmental protection shelters.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink visited Ellsworth in late June to review B-21 preparations alongside the base’s ongoing B-1B Lancer operations, and the base has already handed over its first two completed B-21 facilities, an $161 million Low Observable Restoration Facility and an $81 million Wash Rack and General Maintenance Hangar. The Whiteman contract suggests the Air Force is now applying that same playbook, and likely the same contractor relationships, to its second B-21 base.

FAQ: Whiteman B-21 Hangar

What exactly is being built at Whiteman?

The Whiteman B-21 hangar is a radio frequency and measurements facility with one aircraft position, plus associated back shops, material storage, and administrative and facility support spaces, under a $74.8 million contract awarded to Conti Federal Services.

Why does the B-21 need a radio frequency hangar?

Radio frequency and measurements facilities let maintainers verify that a stealth aircraft’s low-observable characteristics are performing as designed, a routine and necessary part of keeping a low-observable airframe combat-ready.

Which bases will fly the B-21?

Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, is the first Main Operating Base and Formal Training Unit location. Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, is the second. Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, is planned as the third.

Looking Ahead

This is likely the first of several B-21 construction contracts to come at Whiteman, following the multi-year, multi-contract pattern already underway at Ellsworth. The Aviation Diary will track further Whiteman B-21 hangar awards, along with any construction updates at Dyess Air Force Base as the program’s third planned location.

Sources

Nabeel Khan

Written by

Nabeel Khan

Nabeel Khan is the founder and editor of The Aviation Diary. An aerospace industry professional and lifelong aviation enthusiast, he covers military aviation, commercial aviation, aerospace, defense, and space. He built an aviation following across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads before launching The Aviation Diary to bring that same coverage to a dedicated news site. Views expressed are his own.

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