Whiteman Airforce Base is officially set to become the second home of one of the Air Force’s newest and most advanced aircraft.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Whiteman Air Force Base is officially set to become the second home of one of the Air Force’s newest and most advanced aircraft.
Congressman Mark Alford announced on Tuesday, Sept. 10, that the U.S. Air Force has officially approved Whiteman Air Force Base to be the second operating base for the upcoming B-21 Raider – the replacement for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
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“Whiteman Air Force base is a critical aspect of the United States’ nuclear triad and a vital piece to our nuclear deterrence. I am not only proud to represent Whiteman’s interests here in the Senate but equally proud of the rich military history and culture the State of Missouri boasts as a whole,” U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt said. “The Air Force’s decision to select Whiteman Air Force Base as the second operating base for the B-21 Raider ensures that Whiteman will continue its important work maintaining, flying, and training on the stealth bomber.”
Schmitt noted that the B-21 Raider is the first sixth-generation aircraft and is the most advanced military aircraft in the world. He visited the base in August 2023 to discuss the acquisition.
The aircraft has been described by the Air Force as a nuclear-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber. The new fleet is expected to be operational in the mid-2020s.
