The 617th Air and Space Operations Center at Ramstein AB, Germany—Air Forces Africa’s nerve center for supporting US military air activities on the African continent—is expected to be fully operational by June, Army Gen. William Ward, US Africa Command head, told Senate lawmakers Tuesday. This new AOC stood up in May 2009 and in January assumed responsibility for US missions in African airspace. Ward said it will eventually provide a common operating picture of all air and space missions in African. He said its maturation is just one example of AFAFRICA’s growth. For example, AFAFRICA is expanding its air domain safety and security program to develop regional air safety and security tools for civil and military purposes on the continent.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
