Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale AFB, La., on Tuesday assumed responsibility for the nation’s Minuteman III ICBM force from Air Force Space Command under a scheduled shift of authority. This move is part of the phased buildup of Global Strike Command, USAF’s newest major command, as overseer of all Air Force nuclear assets. With the switch, AFGSC now manages the nation’s 450 Minuteman III missiles, which are divided equally among 20th Air Force’s 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., 91st MW at Minot AFB, N.D., and 341st MW at Malmstrom AFB, Mont. “We are well on our way to consolidating all of our Air Force assets in this critical mission area under a single command,” said Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC commander. Next up, the service’s three nuclear-capable bomber wings will transfer from Air Combat Command to AFGSC in February. (Barksdale release)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.