Air Force Global Strike Command

Air Force Global Strike Command

Air Force Global Strike Command Headquarters building, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana
Active 1946–1992 (as Strategic Air Command), 2009–present
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Major Command
Role Organize, train and equip U.S. Air Force strategic deterrence forces
Part of United States Strategic Command
Garrison/HQ Barksdale Air Force Base
Motto "Deter...Assure...Strike!"
Commanders
Current
commander		 General Robin Rand[1]
Insignia
Air Force Global Strike Command emblem (Approved 20 May 2009)[2]

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. AFGSC provides combat-ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of combatant commanders.[3]

Air Force Global Strike Command is the direct descendant unit of the Cold War-era Strategic Air Command (SAC). It holds the lineage, history and honors of SAC.[2]

Overview

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) was established for the improvement of the management of the USAF portion of the United States' nuclear arsenal, which accounts for two-thirds of America's nuclear deterrent. It assumed responsibility for the nuclear-capable assets of Air Force Space Command on 1 December 2009 and the nuclear-capable assets of Air Combat Command on 1 February 2010.[4] Its creation was outlined in the recommendations of the investigation following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident. The command was activated 7 August 2009, at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

The mission of Air Force Global Strike Command is to "Develop and provide combat-ready forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations --Safe --Secure --Effective to support the President of the United States and combatant commanders."[5]

AFGSC consists of over 31,000 personnel assigned to nine wings, two geographically-separated squadrons and one detachment in the continental United States and deployed to locations around the globe.[6]

Changes to the AFGSC units began with the announcement of the 377th Air Base Wing's realignment in December 2014. In mid-April 2015, Air Force Times reported that "B-1 bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas [will be] joining their long-range B-2 and B-52 bomber counterparts under a single Air Force command as part of a leadership shift announced Monday." This means that two bomb wings formerly under Air Combat Command will shift into AFGSC. The units came under the command on 1 October 2015.[7]

Units

The command has a worldwide area of responsibility (AOR) as a subordinate component command of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). AFGSC is one of two USAF component commands in USSTRATCOM, the other being Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). Installations assigned to AFGSC include Barksdale Air Force Base, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Minot Air Force Base, F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Dyess Air Force Base, Ellsworth Air Force Base, Kirtland Air Force Base, and Whiteman Air Force Base.

Eighth Air Force

Headquarters, Eighth Air Force – Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana[8]

Eighth Air Force is designated as U.S. Strategic Command's Task Force 204 (TF 204), providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the President of the United States. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America's interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power. Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides the capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. The 8th Air Force motto is "Deterrence through strength, global strike on demand."[6]

  • 2d Bomb Wing – Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana (B-52H)
11th Bomb Squadron
20th Bomb Squadron
96th Bomb Squadron
23d Bomb Squadron
69th Bomb Squadron
9th Bomb Squadron
28th Bomb Squadron
436th Training Squadron
34th Bomb Squadron
37th Bomb Squadron
13th Bomb Squadron
393d Bomb Squadron
394th Combat Training Squadron
576th Flight Test Squadron – Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is a long-range nuclear and conventional stealthy bomber. The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes that can reach 50,000 feet. Its unrefueled range is at least 6,000 nautical miles. The B-2 brings massive firepower, in a short time, anywhere on the globe through the most challenging defenses.[6]

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, nuclear and conventional heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions. The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes reaching 50,000 feet. It has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles. It can carry precision-guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation.[6]

The Boeing B-1B Lancer is a long-range strategic bomber, capable of flying intercontinental missions without refueling. It is a highly versatile, multi-mission weapon system, carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory for theater operations. The B-1B's synthetic aperture radar is capable of tracking, targeting and engaging moving vehicles as well as self-targeting and terrain-following modes. In addition, an extremely accurate Global Positioning System-aided Inertial Navigation System enables aircrews to navigate without the aid of ground-based navigation aids as well as engage targets with a high level of precision.[6]

Twentieth Air Force

Headquarters, Twentieth Air Force – Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming[8]

Twentieth Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile force. Designated as USSTRATCOM's Task Force 214 (TF 214), 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combat-ready ICBMs to the President of the United States.[6]

  • 90th Missile Wing – Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
319th Missile Squadron
320th Missile Squadron
321st Missile Squadron
740th Missile Squadron
741st Missile Squadron
742d Missile Squadron
10th Missile Squadron
12th Missile Squadron
490th Missile Squadron

The ICBMs are on 24-hour/365-day alert and are ready to launch on any given day.[6]

AFGSC's Twentieth Air Force is the Air Force's lead command for and largest operator of UH-1N Huey helicopters. The UH-1N supports ICBM operations in missile fields controlled by F.E. Warren, Malmstrom and Minot Air Force Bases.[6] In 2015, the 582d Helicopter Group was activated to supervise the three UH-1 squadrons.[10]

History

See: Strategic Air Command for history prior to 2009
Secretary of the United States Air Force Michael Donley discusses the creation of the Global Strike Command

Following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident when six AGM-129 Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCM), each loaded with a W80-1 variable yield nuclear warhead, were mistakenly loaded onto a B-52H at Minot AFB and transported to Barksdale AFB and the 2008 incident in which four MK-12 forward-section reentry vehicle assemblies were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan, former Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger led an investigation into the status of U.S. Air Force nuclear surety. Secretary Schlesinger's recommendation was the creation of a single major command under which all Air Force nuclear assets should be placed for better accountability. On 24 October 2008, the Secretary of the United States Air Force, Michael Donley, announced the creation of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) as a new Air Force major command (MAJCOM).[11] Along with Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, AFGSC is one of two Air Force component commands reporting to United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt.

The new command began operations in August 2009, combining the nuclear-capable strategic bomber force previously operated by Air Combat Command (ACC) and the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force previously operated by Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). ACC and AFSPC had assumed said responsibilities following the 1992 inactivation of Strategic Air Command (SAC).

The USAF currently has 20 B-2 Spirit and 57 B-52 Stratofortress bombers and three missile wings of Minuteman III ICBMs that are designated as nuclear-capable. When needed for conventional missions, the B-2 and B-52 bombers will be reassigned to regional commands.[12] Although formerly assigned a nuclear mission, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber force transitioned to a strictly conventional mission force and was retained in Air Combat Command.

In November 2008, the USAF announced plans to start a fourth B-52 squadron at Minot Air Force Base to support Air Force Global Strike Command,[13] The USAF added that, "all the nuclear-capable bombers of what is now Eighth Air Force, and [command of all ICBMs] of what is now in Twentieth Air Force, will report to this single new command.".[14] This action was accomplished on 3 September 2009, when the 69th Bomb Squadron reactivated at Minot Air Force Base.[15]

The command's 55-member preliminary team, commanded by Major General James Kowalski, began operations at Bolling Air Force Base on 12 January 2009. The team was charged with finding a location for the new headquarters and transitioning the assigned units into the new command.[16]

In April 2009, the preliminary team selected Barksdale Air Force Base as the headquarters for the new command.[17] Donley stated that the factors which contributed to the selection of Barksdale over the other candidate bases were its connection to the 8th Air Force, a "slightly larger [air] operations center", and the base's hosting of the 11th Bomb Squadron, which trains B-52 aircrews and will be adding special emphasis on nuclear training.[18]

On 16 April 2009, United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that Air Force Lieutenant General Frank G. Klotz was nominated to be the first commander of the Global Strike Command.[19] Prior to his assignment to AFGSC, Lt Gen Klotz was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director of the Air Force Staff.[20]

On 18 June, after an environmental assessment finding of 'No Significant Impact', Barksdale Air Force Base was announced as the permanent location for AFGSC.[21] On 7 August 2009, the command officially became active with Lt Gen Klotz assuming command of the organization. The headquarters staff includes 900 people, and reached full operational capability by 30 September 2010.

Twentieth Air Force, the service’s missile organization, came under the new command on 1 December 2009, and Eighth Air Force, the bomber component, came under the command on 1 February 2010.[12]

Lineage

Activated on 15 December 1944
Redesignated: Strategic Air Command on 21 March 1946
Inactivated on 1 Jun 1992

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft and missiles

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

  1. ↑ Pampe, Carla (28 July 2015). "Rand takes command of AF Global Strike Command". Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs. Retrieved 30 July 2015.As of 28 July 2015
  2. 1 2 "AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND (USAF)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  3. ↑ AFGSC units page
  4. ↑ Air Force officials to establish new nuclear major command, Air Force News Service
  5. ↑ AFGSC Mission and Vision
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Air Force Global Air Command factsheet
  7. ↑ "AF realigns B-1, LRS-B under Air Force Global Strike Command". Global Strike Command. 20 May 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  8. 1 2 Air Force Global Strike Command officials work toward seamless transition with mission transfer
  9. 1 2 http://www.minot.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123459907
  10. ↑ McGuire, Carlie (1 April 2015). "582 Helicopter Squad Activated". News Channel CBS 5. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  11. ↑ Associated Press, "New Unit To Manage AF Nuclear Arsenal", reported in Arizona Daily Star, 25 October 2008.
  12. 1 2 Global Strike Command Will Stress Nuclear Mission
  13. ↑ http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20081201/NEWS01/812010311/1060
  14. ↑ Norris, Guy, "Bouncing Back: B-52 expansion underpins resurgent nuclear role", Aviation Week & Space Technology, 1 December 2008, p. 32.
  15. ↑ Tech. Sgt. Lee Osberry Jr. "69th Bomb Squadron reactivates at Minot AFB". Minot.af.mil. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
  16. ↑ Hoffman, Michael, "Provisional nuclear command stands up", Military Times, 13 January 2009.
  17. ↑
  18. ↑ Prime, John Andrew, "Local Base Is First Choice For New Unit: Air Force Global Strike Command could result in 1,000 or more personnel", The Times (Shreveport), 3 April 2009.
  19. ↑ General Officer Announcements
  20. ↑ Lieutenant General Frank G. Klotz
  21. ↑ Officials announce location for Global Strike command

External links

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