Ellsworth Air Force Base celebrated the opening of a new digital radar facility Wednesday that is expected to provide safer air travel at both Ellsworth and Rapid City Regional Airport.

The Dakota Air Traffic Control Facility combines radar air traffic services at Ellsworth with Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Rapid City Regional Airport and other air spaces.

The $7.8 million facility has advanced digital radar that will help controllers guide planes to and from their respective runways as well as between regional airport and the base, according to base officials.

"It gives us a more precise position, and it just makes for safer separation of aircraft, whether it's military aircraft, general aviation aircraft or civilian aircraft," said Col. Scott Vander Hamm, commander of Ellsworth's 28th Bomb Wing.

Vander Hamm celebrated the grand opening with other officials from Ellsworth and Minot at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon. Although the facility officially opened Wednesday, it won't be fully completed until the spring of 2009.

The project combined the Radar Approach Control facilities at Minot and Ellsworth into the one building.

Vander Hamm said the combination of the two noncontiguous airspaces, which are about 260 miles apart, is one of the first in Department of Defense history.

Also, Vander Hamm said, the transition from analog to "much more sophisticated" digital radar technology will give air traffic controllers the ability to keep a better eye on aircraft, especially in extreme weather conditions.

The new radar also will be able to pick up clearer signals from its spot up on Radar Hill, Vander Hamm said.

Rapid City Regional Airport executive director Mason Short said that although it's already safe to fly at Regional Airport, safety improvements are always welcome.

"Anytime we can find a little bit better system, we're all in favor of making that happen," Short said.

Air traffic controllers at Ellsworth and Minot were integrated into the single building about 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to Chief Master Sgt. Brian Lavoie of the 28th Bomb Wing's operation support squadron.

About 55 airmen were required to run the two facilities, but the combination brings that number down to about 40, according to Lavoie.

The Air Force will be able to reassign the extra airmen to other areas, Vander Hamm said.

Combining resources will save the Air Force about $29 million during the next 20 years, Vander Hamm said.

"In today's day of constrained resources, we've got to think smarter, faster and cheaper," he said. "This is an example of that."

Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or ryan.woodard@rapidcityjournal.com