FROM: DAILY STAR JOURNAL – WARRENSBURG
DEREK BRIZENDINE Digital Content Director | May 2, 2018
WARRENSBURG — Whiteman Air Force Base will be home to the B-21 Raider bomber, the U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday.
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler shared the news with the Whiteman Air Force Base Community Council Wednesday afternoon.
“It was certainly a moment of pride and just so fulfilling that the Air Force realizes the important role that we play at Whiteman,” Hartzler said during a stop in Warrensburg.
“Today’s announcement is great news for our state, the local community, and — most importantly — the dedicated service members stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base,” U.S. Senator (Mo.) Roy Blunt said in a press release sent out Wednesday.
Hartzler said the B-21 will begin to replace the B-2 in the mid-2020’s.
“Whiteman has long been home to some of the military’s most advanced weapons technology, and this announcement is a major step towards ensuring it will continue that storied legacy long into the future,” U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said in a statement. “The men and women of the 509th Bomb Wing play a critical role in our nation’s security, and I’m thrilled they will continue that important work.”
“The B-21 represents the next generation of our nation’s stealth global strike capability, and will build on the B-2’s admirable legacy,” she said.