The Air Force announced Dec. 12 that Bolling AFB, D.C., will be the temporary headquarters location for Air Force Global Strike Command, the new nuclear-focused major command that will oversee the service’s ICBMs and nuclear-capable bombers. AFGSC, to be headed by a three-star general, is expected to assume initial operations next September. News of Bolling emerged in a release discussing the inaugural meeting of the Air Force’s new Nuclear Oversight Board on Wednesday. Chaired jointly by Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, the board is overseeing the implementation of the Air Force’s nuclear roadmap, issued on Oct, 24. The roadmap lays out the changes, including the standup of AFGSC, that the Air Force is making to reinvigorate its nuclear enterprise after several high-profile oversight gaffes. Donley said last month that the Air Force would announce AFGSC’s provisional commander before year’s end. Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Aptekar, tells the Daily Report that the service still expects to meet that schedule.
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.