US builds special B-21 hangar at Whiteman to check bomber’s stealth
The US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded Conti Federal Services a contract to build a specialized hangar at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, where B-21 Raiders will be inspected to ensure they retain their low-observable characteristics.
The $74,787,155 firm-fixed-price award appeared in the Pentagon daily contracts list published on September 8, 2026. The notice describes a B-21 program “radio frequency and measurements hangar” with one aircraft position, associated back shops, material storage, and administrative and facility support spaces.
The agency solicited bids online and received three. The Corps of Engineers Kansas City District is the contracting activity, with completion estimated for September 25, 2029.
B-21 hangar designed to verify low-observable characteristics
While the contract notice does not explain the purpose of the measurements, Air Force fiscal 2026 military construction documents provide considerably more detail.
The USAF says the facility is required to conduct inspections that ensure the B-21 retains its low-observable characteristics. Without it, Whiteman would be unable to inspect and ensure that its B-21s have the low-observable characteristics needed to operate without detection, forcing what the service calls a “critical step in the maintenance process” to be carried out elsewhere.
The planned 5,345-square-meter (57,533-square-foot) facility will contain both secure and non-secure areas, including a measurement bay, maintenance area, aircraft power supply room, server and data analysis rooms, offices and composite tool-kit storage.
The USAF calls for shielding on the walls and ceiling, electrostatic-dissipative flooring across the measurement area, and radio-frequency-shielding copper mesh incorporated into the hangar door seals. Light fixtures and other penetrations are also to be treated to minimize interference inside the measurement bay.
The budget document says the measurement bay will be sized to completely enclose a B-2 Spirit, which it identifies as the “B-21 surrogate,” while maintaining the required clearance from walls, structural elements, and equipment.
Whiteman is not the first B-21 base to receive such a facility. Conti Federal received a $70,493,604 contract from the Corps of Engineers Omaha District in April 2023 to construct a B-21 radio frequency hangar at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota.
Whiteman prepares for B-21 Raider arrival
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base. (Credit: U.S. Air Force photo)Whiteman was named the second B-21 main operating base in September 2024, after Ellsworth and ahead of Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.
The installation currently hosts the B-2 Spirit fleet operated by the 509th and 131st Bomb Wings, making it the only operational US Air Force base currently built around a low-observable bomber mission.
The USAF said fiscal 2026 would see extensive military construction projects advance at all three designated B-21 main operating bases.
That infrastructure buildup is proceeding alongside a $4.5 billion agreement reached in February 2026 to increase annual B-21 production capacity by about 25%.The post US builds special B-21 hangar at Whiteman to check bomber’s stealth appeared first on AeroTime.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded Conti Federal Services a contract to build a specialized hangar…
The post US builds special B-21 hangar at Whiteman to check bomber’s stealth appeared first on AeroTime.
