RAPID CITY, S.D. – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) announced a slate of South Dakota-focused wins in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. As a senior committee member and chair of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee, Rounds helped secure $406 million for military projects in the state, including major investments tied to the B-21 Raider at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
“This year’s NDAA keeps the U.S. ahead of the curve and takes care of our men and women in uniform who fight every day to protect our freedoms,” Rounds said in a statement. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
Among the most significant provisions:
- $378 million for construction at Ellsworth AFB to prepare for the B-21 Raider, the Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber.
- $3.4 billion nationally for B-21 procurement, including $2.59 billion in base procurement and $862 million in advanced procurement.
- $28 million for the Watertown Army National Guard vehicle maintenance facility.
Additional Ellsworth-related funds include:
- $63 million for a second B-21 flight simulator
- $71 million for an alert facility
- $75 million and $88 million for environmental protection shelters
- $81 million for apron and shelter infrastructure on the west side of the base
Rounds also highlighted wins in technology and workforce policy. The bill includes a pilot program to expand Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) in partnership with communities, universities, and industry—something of growing interest to defense-affiliated institutions in South Dakota.
Cybersecurity and national innovation are a major emphasis. The NDAA includes:
- $20 million for a University Consortium for Cybersecurity
- Creation of a Cyber Command AI Industry Collaboration Roadmap
- Establishment of an Artificial General Intelligence Steering Committee within the Department of Defense
The bill also supports a 3.8% pay raise for military personnel and contains language to streamline cyber workforce transitions and enhance protections for critical infrastructure.
Rounds, who was named one of the most effective U.S. Senators on defense issues earlier this year, said his experience as South Dakota’s former governor and commander-in-chief of the state’s National Guard units continues to inform his national security work.
“I made a pledge that I would do everything in my power to make certain our men and women in uniform never enter a fair fight,” Rounds said.
For South Dakota, the legislation continues to build on the state’s growing importance in national defense, particularly through the long-term investment at Ellsworth and its role in housing the B-21 Raider, a cornerstone of U.S. strategic deterrence.
