BELLEVUE -- At long last, the Nebraska National Guard’s newest and biggest armory is under construction.
Flights just like that have taken place for decades, since the Air Force first fielded the E-4Bs as a National Airborne Operations Center in the mid-1970s. Now, for the first time, those training flights are taking place virtually, in a newly refurbished simulator at a warehouse in La Vista.
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Photos: Offutt runway opens after 18-month reconstruction
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A TC-135 lands at Offutt Air Force Base Friday following an 18-month runway reconstruction project.
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A crowd watches one of the 55th Wing’s RC-135s land at Offutt Air Force Base on Friday following an 18-month runway reconstruction. In all, eight RC-135s landed to mark the runway’s reopening.
Offutt runway reopens after 18-month runway reconstruction.
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Col. Kristen Thompson speaks at a ceremony celebrating the completion of the runway reconstruction at Offutt. Thompson took over command of the Offutt-based 55th Wing in June 2021 when the project was in progress. Behind her is the air traffic tower.
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A RC-135 lands at Offutt Air Force Base Friday following an 18-month runway reconstruction project.
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Lt. Col. Ryan Davis brings his new son, Beckett, to see the new runway at Offutt Air Force Base on Friday.
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A TC-135 is the first plane to land at Offutt Air Force Base Friday following a complete rebuild of the base's runway. The project took 18 months.
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Attendees hold their phones up to get photos of the first plane to land at Offutt Air Force Base, a TC-135, Friday following an 18-month runway reconstruction project.
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Rep. Don Bacon (left) and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer were guests of honor at Friday’s ceremony. Bacon is a former 55th Wing commander.
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Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command, speaks Friday about the new Offutt runway. The project cost more than $200 million.
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Col. Kristen Thompson, commander of the 55th Wing, speaks at a ceremony celebrating the completion of the runway reconstruction at Offutt. She landed the first jet that touched down Friday.
