Posted: June 21st 2010
From the Rapid City Journal:
Ellsworth Air Force Base has been selected as one of two home bases for unmanned drone missions, Sen. John Thune announced this morning.
Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri will be the other drone base, where unmanned drones will be controlled in flight missions over Afghanistan, Iraq and other regions, Thune said.
Each base is expected to get 280 personnel, both military and civilian. Whiteman will come on line with drones in 2011. Ellsworth will begin getting personnel in 2012 and develop its drone missions in 2012, after infrastructure upgrades at the base, Thune said.
"It's great news for Ellsworth," Thune said. "It absolutely validates and reinforces the importance of this base to the Air Force, and particularly in these new types of high-tech opportunities."
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