The Air Force continues to be plagued by issues within its nuclear force. A report obtained by the Associated Press via a Freedom of Information Act Request revealed that security forces assigned to the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., failed a broader safety and security inspection last summer because the team couldn’t quickly regain control of a captured nuclear weapon in a simulated exercise. “The security force showed an ‘inability to effectively respond to a recapture scenario,’” reported the AP. In addition, the report obtained by the AP said the team failed to take “all lawful actions necessary to immediately regain control of nuclear weapons,” however, any further explanation about exactly what that means was redacted for security reasons, states the article. The Air Force announced in August 2013 that the 341st MW received an “unsatisfactory” rating on a nuclear surety inspection. At the time, the only explanation given was that the wing made “tactical-level errors during one of several exercises conducted during the inspection.” Lt. Col. John Sheets, Air Force Global Strike Command spokesman, told the AP the Air Force “cannot divulge additional details of the scenario or the response tactics due to it being sensitive information that could compromise security.” However, he did say that all corrective actions proposed in the review had been implemented.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.