BOSSIER PARISH, La. – A $210 million contract to build a weapons generation facility at Barksdale Air Force Base over the next 40 months has been awarded to BL Harbert International.

The contract calls for construction of five new buildings and the renovation of an existing single-story building on a 28-acre site. An 84,000-square-foot weapons generation facility building and support buildings totaling 16,000 square feet are part of the project scope.

Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast – part of the U.S. Navy – awarded the contract. In a statement, the NAVFAC said the project will build “a hardened, secure, multifunctional bomber-specific facility, designed with a series of security and control features.”

The Barksdale project, when finished, will accommodate B-52 bombers already assigned to the base. Although Barksdale AFB B-52s are already capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the aircraft stationed there currently has to fly to North Dakota to be equipped and armed with them.

This project is the largest one at Barksdale since it came into existence in 1932.

The Dept. of Defense says the project is estimated to be completed by January 2026.

BL Harbert International is based in Birmingham, La. The firm specializes in design-build, engineering, construction management and general contracting services to local and international defense and government clients.