Global Strike Command
Encyclopedia
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) outlined in a recent roadmap for the improvement of the United States' nuclear arsenal. It assumed responsibility for the nuclear-capable assets of Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
on 1 December 2009 and the nuclear-capable assets of Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
on 1 February 2010. Its creation was outlined in the recommendations of the investigation following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
The 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident occurred at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base on August 29–30, 2007. Six AGM-129 ACM cruise missiles, each loaded with a W80-1 variable yield nuclear warhead, were reportedly mistakenly loaded on a United States Air...
. The command was activated 7 August 2009, at Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Louisiana. A total of five air force bases fall directly under AFGSC: Barksdale AFB
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Minot AFB
Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
, Whiteman AFB
Whiteman Air Force Base
Whiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately south of Knob Noster, Missouri; east-southeast of Kansas City, Missouri....
, Francis E. Warren AFB
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic missile bases in the United States. It is named in honor of Francis E. Warren....
, and Malmstrom AFB
Malmstrom Air Force Base
Malmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
.
Mission
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."Vision
The official vision of Air Force Global Strike Command is: "American Airmen with special trust and responsibility for the most powerful weapons in our Nation's arsenal ... an elite, highly disciplined team ... building a model command."History
Following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident
The 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident occurred at Minot Air Force Base and Barksdale Air Force Base on August 29–30, 2007. Six AGM-129 ACM cruise missiles, each loaded with a W80-1 variable yield nuclear warhead, were reportedly mistakenly loaded on a United States Air...
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
James R. Schlesinger
Dr. James Rodney Schlesinger is an American politician. He is best known for serving as Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975 under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford...
led an investigation into the status of U.S. Air Force nuclear surety. Secretary Schlesinger's recommendation was the creation of a single 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). Along with Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) at Peterson AFB, Colorado, AFGSC is one of two Air Force component commands reporting to United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command
United States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally...
(USSTRATCOM) at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
The new command began operations in August 2009, combining the nuclear-capable strategic bomber force previously operated by Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC) and the land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force previously operated by Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
(AFSPC).
The USAF currently has 20 B-2 Spirit
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is an American heavy bomber with low observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and deploy both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a crew of two and can drop up to eighty -class JDAM GPS-guided bombs, or sixteen ...
and 57 B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
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. Although formerly assigned a nuclear mission, the B-1 Lancer
B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
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
Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
to support Air Force Global Strike Command, The USAF added that, "all the nuclear-capable bombers of what is now Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
, and [command of all ICBMs] of what is now in Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
, will report to this single new command.". This action was accomplished on 3 September 2009, when the 69th Bomb Squadron (69 BS) reactivated at Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
.
The command's 55-member preliminary team, commanded by Major General James Kowalski, began operations at Bolling Air Force Base
Bolling Air Force Base
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is a military installation, located in Southeast Washington, D.C., established on 1 October 2010 in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission...
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.
In April 2009, the preliminary team selected Barksdale AFB as the headquarters for the new command. 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 (11 BS), which trains B-52 aircrews and will be adding special emphasis on nuclear training.
On 16 April 2009, United States Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Robert Gates
Robert Gates
Dr. Robert Michael Gates is a retired civil servant and university president who served as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense from 2006 to 2011. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W....
announced that Air Force Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Frank G. Klotz
Frank Klotz
Frank G. Klotz, is a former United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana...
was nominated to be the first commander of the Global Strike Command. Prior to his assignment to AFGSC, Lt Gen Klotz was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director of the Air Force Staff.
On 18 June, after an environmental assessment finding of 'No Significant Impact', Barksdale Air Force Base was announced as the permanent location for AFGSC.
On 7 August 2009, the command officially became active with Lt Gen Klotz assuming command of the organization. The headquarters staff will eventually include 900 people, and is slated to reach full operational capability by 30 September 2010.
The Twentieth Air Force
Twentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
(20 AF), the service’s missile organization, came under the new command on 1 December 2009, and the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
(8 AF), the bomber component, came under the command on 1 February 2010.
Units
Twentieth Air ForceTwentieth Air Force
The Twentieth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.20 AF's primary mission is Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations...
- Francis E. Warren AFB
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
Francis E. Warren Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic missile bases in the United States. It is named in honor of Francis E. Warren....
, Wyoming
- 90th Missile Wing - Francis E. Warren AFBFrancis E. Warren Air Force BaseFrancis E. Warren Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. It is one of three strategic missile bases in the United States. It is named in honor of Francis E. Warren....
, Wyoming
- 319th Missile Squadron319th Missile SquadronThe 319th Missile Squadron is the flagship squadron of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles through five Missile Alert Facilities.-History:...
- 320th Missile Squadron320th Missile SquadronThe 320th Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. Currently, the 320 MS is one of nine active United States ICBM squadrons.-History:Activated in spring 1942 as a B-26...
- 321st Missile Squadron321st Missile SquadronThe 321st Missile Squadron is part of the 90th Missile Wing based at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-History:...
- 91st Missile Wing - Minot AFBMinot Air Force BaseMinot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
, North Dakota
- 740th Missile Squadron740th Missile SquadronThe United States Air Force's 740th Missile Squadron is a missile operations squadron of the 91st Missile Wing, 91st Operations Group, located at Minot AFB, North Dakota.-Mission:...
- 741st Missile Squadron741st Missile SquadronThe United States Air Force's 741st Missile Squadron is an intercontinental ballistic missile unit located at Minot AFB, North Dakota.-Mission:...
- 742d Missile Squadron742d Missile SquadronThe 742d Missile Squadron is part of the 91st Missile Wing based at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-World War II:...
- 341st Missile Wing341st Missile WingThe United States Air Force's 341st Missile Wing is an intercontinental ballistic missile unit headquartered at Malmstrom AFB, Montana...
- Malmstrom AFBMalmstrom Air Force BaseMalmstrom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place in Cascade County, Montana, United States. It was named in honor of World War II POW Colonel Einar Axel Malmstrom...
, Montana
- 10th Missile Squadron10th Missile SquadronThe United States Air Force's 10th Missile Squadron is a unit located at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana.-Heraldry:On an Air Force Blue disc, an Air Force Golden Yellow demi lion rampant, shaded Golden Brown, his tongue Red, emerging from a hole, Dark Brown, rimmed Red; fimbriated White five Red...
- 12th Missile Squadron12th Missile SquadronThe United States Air Force's 12th Missile Squadron is a missile unit located at Malmstrom AFB, Montana.-Mission:The mission of the 341st Missile Wing is to keep America free and strong by providing combat-ready people and aerospace forces.-Heraldry:...
- 490th Missile Squadron490th Missile SquadronThe 490th Missile Squadron is part of the 341st Missile Wing based at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. It operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.-History:...
- 625th Strategic Operations Squadron625th Strategic Operations SquadronThe mission of the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron is to find, analyze, and evaluate strategic nuclear targets for U.S. nuclear forces inside OPLAN 8044, formerly known as the SIOP.-Mission:...
- Offutt AFBOffutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
, Nebraska
Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
- Barksdale AFB
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Louisiana
- 2d Bomb Wing2d Bomb WingThe 2d Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale...
- Barksdale AFBBarksdale Air Force BaseBarksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
, Louisiana
- 11th Bomb Squadron11th Bomb SquadronThe 11th Bomb Squadron is part of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.-Mission:...
- 20th Bomb Squadron20th Bomb SquadronThe 20th Bomb Squadron is part of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.-Mission:...
- 96th Bomb Squadron96th Bomb SquadronThe 96th Bomb Squadron is part of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It operates B-52 Stratofortress aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.-History:...
- 343d Bomb Squadron343d Bomb SquadronThe 343d Bomb Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 307th Operations Group. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.-History:...
(Air Force Reserve CommandAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
"Associate" unit)
- 5th Bomb Wing5th Bomb WingThe 5th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Minot...
- Minot AFBMinot Air Force BaseMinot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
, North Dakota
- 23d Bomb Squadron23d Bomb SquadronThe 23d Bomb Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing. It is stationed at Minot AFB, North Dakota. The mission of the 23BS is to fly the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress long range bomber...
- 69th Bomb Squadron69th Bomb SquadronThe 69th Bomb Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit. After being inactivated on 1 September 1991, it was reactivated on 3 September 2009 at Minot Air Force Base, and assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing...
- 509th Bomb Wing509th Bomb WingThe 509th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri....
- Whiteman AFBWhiteman Air Force BaseWhiteman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately south of Knob Noster, Missouri; east-southeast of Kansas City, Missouri....
, Missouri
- 13th Bomb Squadron13th Bomb SquadronThe 13th Bomb Squadron is an active United States Air Force organization assigned to the 509th Operations Group, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri...
- 393d Bomb Squadron393d Bomb SquadronThe 393d Bomb Squadron is part of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.-History:Activated as a B-29 Superfortress squadron in early 1944; trained under Second Air Force. Training delayed as engineering flaws being worked out of the B-29...
- 394th Combat Training Squadron394th Combat Training SquadronThe 394th Combat Training Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, assigned to the 509th Operations Group. It is stationed at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The mission of the squadron is to train B-2 Spirit Aircrews.-History:...
- AFGSC Direct Reporting Units (DRU)Direct Reporting UnitA Direct Reporting Unit is an agency of the United States Department of the Air Force that is outside the bounds of the standard organizational hierarchy by being exclusively and uniquely under the control of Air Force headquarters alone, rather than reporting through a Major Command...
- 576th Flight Test Squadron576th Flight Test SquadronThe 576th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force direct reporting unit assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command...
- Vandenberg AFBVandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
, California
Missiles
- LGM-30G Minuteman III (2009 - Present)
The ICBM force (apart from the SLBMs operated by the US Navy) consists of the Minuteman III missiles that provide a critical component of America's on-alert strategic forces. 450 ICBMs are currently on alert in reinforced concrete launch facilities beneath the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
.
See also
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
- United States Strategic CommandUnited States Strategic CommandUnited States Strategic Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Department of Defense . The Command, including components, employs more than 2,700 people, representing all four services, including DoD civilians and contractors, who oversee the command's operationally...
External links
- Official Website
- Reinvigorating the Air Force Nuclear Enterprise, Headquarters United States Air Force
- "Air Force Global Strike Command activated" - Globalsecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...