The 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo., the Air Force’s sole B-2A stealth bomber organization, underwent an annual nuclear weapon system evaluation on Aug. 17. This Air Combat Command-led Combat Sledgehammer drill, observed by Whiteman’s 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, is geared to ascertain how well the wing’s airmen execute the nuclear mission from weapons loading to aircraft generation, command and control, and weapon release. “Combat Sledgehammer is a chance to prove ourselves and the rest of the world that if the President asks us to deliver a nuclear weapon, we would do it perfectly,” said Maj. William Woodward, 72nd TES director of operations. ACC coordinated the event with US Strategic Command, which provided emergency action messages to assess procedures, and the Energy Department, which supplied simulated bombs and release parameters for them. (Whiteman report by SSgt. Jason Barebo)
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he'd be “comfortable’ with the service taking over the air base defense mission from the Army, provided it was given the resources and manpower to do so. The Army has been slow to devote the resources and attention needed to matching the Air Force’s…