Space Acquisition - Air Force Space Command

1966 to replace all Minuteman I’s with either Minuteman II’s
or Minuteman III’s. This process continued through the latter
1960s and into the mid-70s and was deployed broadly across
the continental US at F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Minot AFB,
and Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota; and Malmstrom AFB,
Montana. Engineering modifications were made that brought
new suspension systems into the silos to maintain the security
of each missile that would render them motionless during the
aftershocks of a nuclear attack.
In July 1975, the last of the 550 Minuteman III missiles was
lowered into its silo at Malmstrom AFB. At that time, only 450
Minutemen II remained in the American arsenal—at Malmstrom
AFB, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and Whiteman
AFB, Missouri. This force structure remained intact for nearly
two more decades.
The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 marked the
beginning of the end of the Cold War. On 31 July 1991, President
George H. W. Bush signed the Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev—effectively limiting
the worldwide number of ICBMs and outlining a process
for demilitarization of additional weapons. The Air Force was
faced with increasing costs surrounding maintenance of the
Minuteman II system and all 450 were “withdrawn from alert”
at the order of President Bush in September 1991 as part of his
Plan for Peace.
When the Minuteman II deactivation was completed in the
mid-1990s, the program experienced another decline in funding
and attention along with relevantly skilled Airmen to adequately
support it that generally lasted for the next two decades.
With less threat came less attention to the nuclear arsenal that
played out over time. The deterioration was brought back into
the nation’s spotlight after a series of events made it impossible
to ignore the impact of weakened values and fragmented focus
surrounding our most important deterrent capability. Several
severe breaches of discipline were discovered in the 2007 to
2008 timeframe. These onerous events set in motion new attentions
to rebuild, refocus, and reinvigorate the nuclear enterprise.
This turning point has led to positive change in standing
up more centralized oversight of this important asset and supporting
it with proper personnel, funding, and focus.
Reinvigoration Actions
Consolidating all nuclear functions under one umbrella
organization was essential to establishing clear lines of command.
In the spring and summer of 2008, a realignment of
organizational responsibilities from Air Force Space Command
(AFSPC) to Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) at
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, took place followed by the standup
of a new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) at
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, in August 2009. Once operations
are fully transitioned, AFGSC will oversee the ICBM function,
along with nuclear-capable B-52 and B-2 bombers—putting
them in a higher priority category, which is central to the overall
nuclear mission.
ICBMs in the 20 th Air Force, part of AFSPC, are expected
to shift to AFGSC in early December 2009 and will be led by
Lt Gen Frank Klotz. The 23,000 Airmen-strong command will
contain an elaborate inspections regime with more demanding
and rigorous schedules in addition to regular outside oversight.
The goal of the command is to ensure the nuclear forces receive
equal status with other missions in the Air Force and to support
the development of skilled Airmen in the nuclear area.
Additionally, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief
of Staff General Norman Schwartz directed the transfer of the
weapons storage area logistics operations to AFNWC in order
to provide streamlined sustainment and positive control of nuclear
weapons systems with the goal to continually emphasize
rigor and standardization in this critical function.
To accomplish this goal, four munitions maintenance units
were stood up under the AFNWC in the summer of 2009, significantly
advancing the force’s reinvigoration efforts. They
included the 798 th Munitions Maintenance Group at Minot
AFB, North Dakota, which joined the 15 th Munitions Squadron
at F. E. Warren AFB, and the 16 th Munitions Squadron at Malmstrom
AFB. Additionally, a Detachment 1 unit was stood up at
Vandenberg AFB, California, to support test flights.
Furthermore, the Air Force embarked on an annual assessment
to map its progress through the Air Force comprehensive
assessment of nuclear sustainment (AFCANS) process. The
AFCANS process includes an internal investigation geared toward
identifying solutions and finding the needed resources to
fix the challenges surrounding nuclear surety. Brig Gen Everett
H. Thomas, AFNWC commander, led this effort under the
direction of General Schwartz. The AFCANS II report was released
in April 2009, providing recommendations for requirements
and necessary funding to continue sustaining and reinvigorating
the enterprise.
The Role of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center
The AFNWC plays a critical role in shaping the lines of
command and providing structure. Following its establishment
in March 2006, it continues to develop and expand to fulfill its
goal of becoming the Air Force’s center of excellence for all
nuclear weapons systems activities. As the center commander,
General Everett H. Thomas is responsible for the entire scope
of stewardship and sustainment of Air Force nuclear weapon
systems and support equipment in the US. Consolidating
nuclear sustainment activities in the Air Force under a single
commander provides an effective mechanism for improved nuclear
sustainment force management and development, focused
advocacy for nuclear sustainment programs, and clear lines of
authority and accountability to ensure compliance with nuclear
surety standards.
Reporting directly into the AFNWC commander are the 498 th
Nuclear Systems Wing (NSW), 377 th Air Base Wing (ABW),
and 526 th ICBM Systems Group (ICBMSG). These organizations
are the key to sustaining the nuclear enterprise in the long
term as they handle much of the oversight, quality control, and
sustainment activities. The 498 NSW oversees nuclear munitions
and cruise missiles, as well as munitions maintenance
and storage complexes. The 377 ABW provides world-class
nuclear surety, expeditionary forces, and support to base opera-
33 High Frontier