The 798th Munitions Maintenance Group stood up Tuesday at Minot AFB, N.D., during an assumption-of-command ceremony. “This is a big step to reinvigorate the nuclear enterprise in the Air Force,” said Col. David Milner, 798th MUMG commander. The new group, consisting of a command element and support staff, will support Air Force Global Strike Command by overseeing four new munitions units that will maintain the service’s nuclear weapons: the 14th Munitions Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; 15th MS at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; 16th MS at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; and Minot’s 17th MS. Already the F.E. Warren and Malmstrom squadrons have been activated. The 798th MUMG falls under the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., now the lead player in USAF’s nuclear weapons sustainment. (Minot report by SrA. Wesley Wright)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.