 It was not long before Ellsworth and the 28th Bomb Wing were taking the lead in the AEF concept.Five B-1Bs from the 28th Bomb Wing joined NATO forces in Operation Allied Force and began striking military targets in Kosovo on 1 April 1999.By the end of the conflict in June 1999, B-1Bs from Ellsworth flew 100 combat missions and dropped over 1,260 tons of Mk 82 general-purpose bombs.