Editing Ellsworth Air Force Base (section)

===Modern era, 1990–present===
After the [[Fall of the Berlin Wall|Berlin Wall fell]] in November 1989, presaging the demise of the [[Soviet Union]], the USAF reshuffled its organizations and resources to meet a shifting, diminishing, threat. On 3 January 1990, SAC re-designated the 812th Combat Support Group as the 812th Strategic Support Wing (812 SSW), which, for a short time, became Ellsworth's fourth wing. The 812 SSW consolidated all combat support activities into one organization. On 31 July 1990, SAC replaced the 12th Air Division with the Strategic Warfare Center (SWC), which provided operational command and administrative control over Ellsworth's subordinate units. Then, as part of SAC's intermediate headquarters and base-level reorganization plan, on 1 September 1991, SAC renamed the 28 BMW the 28th Wing (28 WG), the 44 SMW the 44th Wing (44 WG) and the 99 SWW the 99th Tactics and Training Wing (99 TTW). Ten days later, SAC inactivated both the SWC and the 812 SSW. Once again, the 28th became Ellsworth's host organization and it soon absorbed all previous 812 SSW functions. It was also during this period that, in acknowledgment of the elimination of the [[Warsaw Pact]], that the President, via the [[Secretary of Defense (United States)|Secretary of Defense]], ordered all strategic nuclear alert operations to stand-down. The decades-long Cold War was over.[[File:Ellsworth AFB aerial view.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Ellsworth AFB, c.1990.|left]]On 1 June 1992, as part of the first major reorganization since the creation of USAF, the Air Force inactivated [[Strategic Air Command]] and assigned Ellsworth's organizations (including a renamed 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW)) to the newly activated [[Air Combat Command]] (ACC). After less than a year under the new command, the 28th's mission changed from that of strategic bombardment to one of worldwide conventional munitions delivery. The mission of the 99th Tactics and Training Wing (later to become the 99th Wing) also continued, albeit slightly modified to fit the requirements of the new force concept.

The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission. On 3 December 1991, the wing permanently pulled the first [[Minuteman II]] missile from its silo and on 6 April 1992, the first Minuteman II launch control center shut down. Inactivation of the entire missile complex ended in April 1994. In keeping with its patriotic Minuteman tradition, the 44th Missile Wing formally inactivated on 4 July 1994.  Under conditions of the [[START I|Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty]], all of the 44th Missile Wing's Minuteman silos and launch control centers were slated for demolition with the exception of Sites Delta-01 and Delta-09.  These latter two sites were turned over to the [[National Park Service]] for preservation as part of the [[Minuteman Missile National Historic Site]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm|title=Minuteman Missile National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)|website=www.nps.gov|access-date=2016-09-18}}</ref>

In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a Geographically Separate Unit (GSU) that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing (366 WG), at [[Mountain Home AFB]], [[Idaho]]. While under the aegis of the 366 WG, the 34th's B-1Bs were part of one of the USAF's composite wings, which also included C/D and E model [[F-15 Eagles]], C/D model [[F-16 Fighting Falcons]], and R model [[KC-135 Stratotankers]].

Also during 1994, the USAF selected Ellsworth as the exclusive location from which to conduct a Congressionally mandated operational readiness assessment of the B-1B, known locally as "Dakota Challenge." After six months of hard work, under both peacetime and simulated wartime conditions, the 28 BW and Ellsworth, relying on extensive personnel, technical and logistical support from sister B-1 units at [[McConnell AFB|McConnell]], Grand Forks and Dyess Air Force Bases, passed the test "with flying colors"; and proved the B-1 to be a reliable and capable weapons system; the mainstay of America's heavy bomber fleet for years to come.

In 1995, the 99th Wing departed Ellsworth for a new assignment at [[Nellis Air Force Base]], [[Nevada]], although a small contingent formerly attached to that wing remained behind to continue bomber tactics training and radar munitions scoring from a handful of dispersed detachments. The year also saw the inactivation of one of Ellsworth's oldest units, the 77th Bomb Squadron. While the unit (as an administrative entity) departed to save USAF dollars for development of new follow-on B-1 munitions, the organization's aircraft remained at Ellsworth (in a flying reserve status) under the able care of its sister unit, the 37th Bomb Squadron.

In early 1996 on 26 March, an announcement was made that the 77th Bomb Squadron would soon return to Ellsworth. On 1 April, the squadron again activated at Ellsworth as the geographically separated 34th Bomb Squadron completed its transfer to its new home with the [[366th Fighter Wing|366th Wing]] at [[Mountain Home AFB]], [[Idaho]]. By June 1998, the 77th had six of its B-1Bs out of the reconstitution reserve. This number balanced those lost by the 34th BS.

In March 1999, the USAF announced a reorganization plan that makes Ellsworth AFB and the 28 BW partners in the new Expeditionary Air Force (EAF) concept, now known as the Air & Space Expeditionary Force (AEF). The 28 BW was named a lead wing in the EAF, which enabled the 77 BS to gain six additional B-1Bs, and Ellsworth AFB to gain about 100 additional military personnel. The expeditionary force construct enables the USAF to respond quickly to any worldwide crisis while making life more predictable for military members.

The summer of 2007 marked the last time that Ellsworth hosted a college/university level [[Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps]] Field Training (FT) encampment. All college AFROTC FT encampments were subsequently consolidated at the Air Force [[Officer Training School]] at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]], Alabama.

====Operation Allied Force, 1999====
{{Main|Operation Allied Force}}
It was not long before Ellsworth and the 28th Bomb Wing were taking the lead in the AEF concept. Five B-1Bs from the 28th Bomb Wing joined [[NATO]] forces in [[Operation Allied Force]] and began striking military targets in [[Kosovo]] on 1 April 1999. By the end of the conflict in June 1999, B-1Bs from Ellsworth had flown 100 combat missions and dropped over 1,260 tons of [[Mark 82 bomb|Mk 82]] general-purpose bombs.

====Operation Enduring Freedom 2001–present====
{{Main|Operation Enduring Freedom}}
[[File:Ellsworth AFB B-1B take off.jpg|thumb|A B-1B Lancer takes off from Ellsworth AFB in front of the control tower and radar.]]

After the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]], Ellsworth deployed a number of B-1s in support of [[Operation Enduring Freedom]]. Aircraft from the 37th BS at Ellsworth AFB joined additional B-1s from the 34th BS at [[Mountain Home AFB]] and formed the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron. This squadron, along with other elements from Ellsworth, deployed to [[Diego Garcia]] and joined the 28th Air Expeditionary Wing. Their combat mission effectiveness was greater than 95% and they flew 5% of the total strike aircraft missions. They dropped 39% of the total tonnage of bombs, which was more than any other platform. During their deployment the 28th EBS dropped 2,974 [[JDAMs]], 1,471 [[Mk-82]], 135 [[Mk-84]], and 70 [[CBU-87]] [[bomb]]s. Currently, the 28th Bomb Wing and personnel from Ellsworth Air Force Base continue to be the lead wing for AEF 8, and Ellsworth personnel continue to prepare for ongoing deployments in support of operations around the globe.

====34th BS replaces the 77th BS, 2001====
[[File:34th Bomb Squadron Emblem.svg|100px|left|34th Bomb Squadron Patch]]
On 19 September 2001 the "Thunderbirds" of the [[34th Bomb Squadron]] arrived from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho to rejoin the Ellsworth team. Due to a drawdown in the number of active B-1B aircraft in the USAF inventory, the 77th BS at Ellsworth was inactivated.

====Base realignment and closure 2004–2005====
During the [[U.S. Senate election, 2004|2004 Senate race]] in South Dakota, [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] challenger [[John Thune]] made Ellsworth a campaign issue, stating in a 16 April 2004 appearance at the base that if he were elected over incumbent [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and Senate Minority Leader [[Tom Daschle]]: "It puts Ellsworth in a lot stronger position than having someone who's going to be in the minority and someone who doesn't have a relationship with the President of the U.S."{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} In a debate between the two men broadcast on [[KSFY-TV]] and [[KHME|KOTA-TV]] television on 17 October 2004, Thune said: "I think we have got to have somebody that has a relationship with the President of the United States, can work constructively across party lines in the Congress to get this done if we're going save Ellsworth" and was later quoted in the "Rapid City Journal" newspaper on 27 October 2004 claiming that: "an all-Democratic congressional delegation would have little political influence if [[George W. Bush|President Bush]] is elected to a second term."{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

On 24 May 2004 campaigning in South Dakota for Thune, Senate Majority Leader [[Bill Frist]] said of Daschle: "Who is the president going to listen to more? The majority leader of the Senate, who he works with on almost a daily basis, or a senator from another party who every day is saying things on the floor that demonstrate a lack of support?" also adding: "This time around, the President is appointing who's on that [[Base Realignment and Closure|BRAC commission]], all of them."{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Thune defeated Daschle with 51% of the vote in the election, and president Bush was elected to a second term. Nevertheless, on 13 May 2005, the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] recommended that Ellsworth Air Force Base be closed.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} Thune stated in protest he would vote against confirmation of the president's nominee for [[United States Ambassadors to the United Nations|United Nations Ambassador]], [[John R. Bolton|John Bolton]].

On 26 August 2005 the nine-member BRAC commission voted 8–1 to spare Ellsworth from the closure list. Commissioner [[Harold Gehman]] said, "We have no savings, we're essentially moving the airplanes from one very, very good base to another very, very good base, which are essentially equal." Senator Thune called the move a good, nonpolitical decision.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

====Expansion of bomber training area====
Since 2008, a bomber training area [[Powder River Training Complex]] is being expanded to about 28,000 square miles, including portions of Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas.<ref name="ap">{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Matthew|title=Air Force says decision near on four-state bomber training area over Northern Plains|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ABC News .com|date=20 July 2014}}</ref>

====Move to the Eighth Air Force====
On 1 October 2015, Ellsworth became part of the [[Eighth Air Force]] and fell under the command of [[Global Strike Command]].<ref name="AL">{{cite news|title=Ellsworth B-1 bombers under La. command|url=http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2015/09/28/ellsworth-bombers-la-command/72986816/|access-date=1 October 2015|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=28 October 2015}}</ref>

====2024 crash====
A Rockwell B1 plane crash landed in January 2024. All occupants managed to eject.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 January 2024 |title=Air Force crew ejects safely as B-1 bomber crashes during landing in South Dakota |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/air-force-crew-ejects-safely-1-bomber-crashes/story?id=106120280 |access-date=7 January 2024 |archive-date=7 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107003045/https://abcnews.go.com/US/air-force-crew-ejects-safely-1-bomber-crashes/story?id=106120280 |url-status=live}}</ref>