Ellsworth Air Force Base’s new runway is completed well ahead of schedule.
Air Force officials held an opening ceremony Wednesday.
The $129 million project was scheduled to take three years. Crews completed it in just 10 months.
The runway is part of a major base expansion underway to prepare for the B-21 bomber.
Roughly 700 airmen were reassigned to other airbases during construction. Officials say the early completion means they can return to Ellsworth ahead of schedule.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led the work on the project, which was completed Nov. 21.
In a social media post, Rep. Dusty Johnson said the expedited timeline shows "how mission critical the B1s are to American national security."
Courtesy
/
Rep. Dusty Johnson's office