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USAF stands up new nuclear command

By Gareth Jennings

8/12/2009

The US Air Force (USAF) stood up its new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) during a ceremony at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB) in Louisiana on 7 August.

The newly formed AFGSC will bring together the air force's nuclear-capable assets under a single command for the first time since the Strategic Air Command (SAC) was disbanded with the end of the Cold War in 1992.

"The command will bring together our strategic nuclear forces under a single commander, and will provide combatant commanders with the forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations through intercontinental ballistic missiles [ICBM], B-2 [Spirit] and B-52 [Stratofortress] operations," USAF Secretary Michael B Donley said.

The nuclear-capable B-1B Lancer is not included in this new command as it lost its nuclear role under the terms of a 1997 arms agreement with Russia.

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The USAF has brought its B-2, B-52 (pictured) and ICBM nuclear forces together under a single command for the first time since the Strategic Air Command was disbanded in 1992
The USAF has brought its B-2, B-52 (pictured) and ICBM nuclear forces together under a single command for the first time since the Strategic Air Command was disbanded in 1992(US Air Force)

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