USAF to create Global Strike Command

[CougarKing]

Just another update:

USAF Creates Global Strike Command
Oct 24, 2008
By Bettina H. Chavanne

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/GSC102408.xml

The U.S. Air Force will stand up a new major command called Global Strike Command devoted strictly to the nuclear enterprise, the service announced Oct. 24 at the Pentagon.

“We’ve taken many corrective actions in response to painful lessons learned,” Air Force Secretary Michael Donley told reporters, but “more work remains to be done.”

Air Force leaders released a so-called roadmap, titled “Reinvigorating the Air Force Nuclear Enterprise,” that details major actions the service will take, including:

* Establish the new command, led by a three-star, lieutenant general, and a Headquarters Air Force staff office, both devoted to nuclear enterprise matters;

* Consolidate sustainment functions under Air Force Materiel Command’s Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center;

* Improve nuclear stewardship in Air Force corporate processes; and

* Create strategic plans that address long-term nuclear requirements, including those for cruise missiles, bombers, dual-capable aircraft and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Nuclear-coded B-52 and B-2 bombers from the 8th Air Force and nuclear-tipped ICBMs under the 20th Air Force will fall under Global Strike Command instead. Yet the move splits the bomber force, with B-1s staying in Air Combat Command, according to the secretary.

The so-called Schlesinger Report - from the Secretary of Defense Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Management chaired by James Schlesinger, who has been both an energy and defense secretary - had recommended all bombers fall under a new command. But, Donley said, “We thought we should preserve the gains made in the last 15 years in making the bomber force more effective for support of theater [operations].”

Initial operating capability for the new command is expected in September 2009, officials said.

The decision to stand up a new major, nuclear command was made early this month at a conference of the air services’ four-star generals (Aerospace DAILY, Oct. 9). The move follows the firing of the last Air Force secretary and chief of staff in June, as well as a series of disciplinary actions taken after nuclear management mishaps.

A definitive, high-level report last month detailed 180 corrective actions, costing up to $1.5 billion.

 

[Love793]

Sounds a lot like SAC give or take.

 

[daftandbarmy]

This smells slightly of empire building, and perhaps a preliminary move to the Air Force trying to take over all nukes, including those from the Navy. Then again, I've always wanted to live long enough to see an Air Force submarine  ;D

 

[aesop081]

This smells slightly of empire building, and perhaps a preliminary move to the Air Force trying to take over all nukes, including those from the Navy.

I disagree. This is the fallout from several incidents where the USAF showed it was not handling its nuclear role very well. If anything this is a turn back towards the old SAC structure less the B-1B and the tanker force.

 

[MarkOttawa]

USAF Global Strike Command Announces IOC
AW&ST, Aug. 10
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/GSC081009.xml

The U.S. Air Force’s official launch of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)
http://www.afgsc.af.mil/ [note the Buff at top]
signals the reinvigoration of the service’s nuclear enterprise, according to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz.

Air Force leadership announced the rollout of the major command, to be headed by Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, on Aug. 5, embargoing the details until August 7. Global Strike Command’s role “is to organize, train and equip America’s [Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles] and nuclear-capable bombers and prepare a cadre to do this important work with passion and professionalism,” Schwartz said

The announcement is for the initial operating capability (IOC) for the command. The next several months will be spent getting the command running. Transition of the missile component should occur in early December and the bomber component will move into Global Strike in February, Donley said.

AFGSC will have an Inspector General to lead inspections that are “more demanding, more invasive [and] more challenging,” according to Schwartz. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency also will participate in all inspections conducted.

The command is one outgrowth of the January 2009 Schlesinger report, which condemned DOD for its failure to recognize the psychological and political importance of U.S. deterrent forces and recommended major changes in the nation’s management of its nuclear arsenal (Aerospace DAILY, Jan. 9).

[More here: http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/80758.0.html ]

AFGSC brings together control of the service’s strategic nuclear ICBMs and bombers. It will be headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. The expense of this reorganization is $750 million over the five-year defense plan.

In addition, AFGSC will use the money to stand up a fourth B-52 squadron at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. The force structure will now include two squadrons at Minot and two at Barksdale. Some unassigned aircraft will be moved from Barksdale and others at Minot will be moved out of backup status and returned to full capability.

The tricky part of the plan was how to deal with platforms that can conduct either a nuclear or conventional attack such as the B-52 and B-2. The B-1 is not a nuclear bomber and remains assigned to Air Combat Command [emphasis added].
http://www.acc.af.mil/ [note F-22 at top]
Air Force leadership made the decision to put those dual-use aircraft in Global Strike Command while retaining the ability to “export their conventional capability to Air Combat Command” as needed by the combatant commanders, Schwartz said. The rationale was to focus on Global Strike’s nuclear mission while ensuring that B-2 and B-52 units are “organized, trained and equipped for the conventional missions as well,” including, it was specifically noted, the capability of the B-2 to carry the new Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb designed for hardened and deeply buried targets.

The force provider for conventional warfare is Joint Forces Command (JFC).
http://www.jfcom.mil/
The Air Forces representative to that organization is Air Combat Command. U.S. Strategic Command is responsible for nuclear operations.
http://www.stratcom.mil/
The Air Force representative to it is the new Global Strike Command. If there is the need for a conventional strike, JFC will transfer the aircraft to combatant commands, which will take on their operational oversight. Additional parts of the plan are to transition control of 20th Air Force to AFGSC in early December, followed by 8th Air Force in February, Donley said.

Mark
Ottawa