The Air Force is establishing a flag-level position to oversee the acquisition of its nuclear systems. This official will lead a new program executive office for strategic systems that will stand up later this year at Kirtland AFB, N.M., already home to the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center that manages the service’s nuclear sustainment activities. Exactly what the “strategic systems” rubric will entail is still being discussed. “The portfolio of programs and responsibilities may include all current and future nuclear systems, subsystems, and components as well as systems with a dual nuclear and conventional role,” Air Forces spokeswoman Marie Vanover told the Daily Report Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Everett Thomas, AFNWC commander, told House overseers on Jan. 21 that the new PEO “will ensure future acquisition efforts are properly aligned with near-term sustainment challenges.” He said the Schlesinger nuclear task force recommended its creation.
The Government Accountability Office wants the Air Force to explain who will run bases when wings deploy under the service’s new force generation model along with several other unanswered questions, saying the concept is long on vision but short on details.