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29-657: The Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force , headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana . AFGSC provides combat-ready forces to conduct strategic nuclear deterrence and global strike operations in support of combatant commanders. Air Force Global Strike Command is the Air Force's service component to the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). Air Force Global Strike Command

58-831: A functional basis in the United States and a geographical basis overseas. A major command (MAJCOM) represents a major Air Force subdivision having a specific portion of the Air Force mission. Each MAJCOM is directly subordinate to Headquarters, Air Force. MAJCOMs are interrelated and complementary, providing offensive, defensive, and support elements. An operational command consists (in whole or in part) of strategic, tactical, or defense forces; or of flying forces that directly support such forces. A support command may provide supplies, weapon systems, support systems, operational support equipment, combat material, maintenance, surface transportation, education and training, or special services and other supported organizations. From 1948 to 1991 MAJCOMs had

87-467: A single Air Force command as part of a leadership shift announced Monday." This means that two bomb wings formerly under Air Combat Command will shift into AFGSC. The units came under the command on 1 October 2015. On 6 October 2016, the 595th Command and Control Group was activated at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska to assume the responsibility for the Boeing E-4 NAOC mission. Eighth Air Force

116-399: Is a significant Air Force organization subordinate to Headquarters, US Air Force. Major commands have a headquarters staff and subordinate organizations, typically formed in numbered air forces, centers, wings, and groups. Historically, a MAJCOM is the highest level of command, only below Headquarters Air Force (HAF), and directly above numbered air forces (NAFs). The USAF is organized on

145-511: Is designated as U.S. Strategic Command's Task Force 204 (TF 204), providing on-alert, combat-ready forces to the President of the United States. The mission of "The Mighty Eighth" is to safeguard America's interests through strategic deterrence and global combat power. Eighth Air Force controls long-range nuclear-capable bomber assets throughout the United States and overseas locations. Its flexible, conventional and nuclear deterrence mission provides

174-417: Is gained by Eighth Air Force. Twentieth Air Force is responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force's intercontinental ballistic missile force. Designated as USSTRATCOM's Task Force 214 (TF 214), 20th Air Force provides on-alert, combat-ready ICBMs to the President of the United States. The ICBMs are on 24-hour/365-day alert and are ready to launch on any given day. AFGSC's Twentieth Air Force

203-571: Is organized into nine MAJCOMS (seven functional and two geographic), with the Air National Guard component reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF). The most recent major command, Air Force Global Strike Command , was activated in August 2009. The other MAJCOMs have either inactivated or lost their command status. Frank Klotz Until retiring in 2011, Klotz was a United States Air Force Lieutenant General who last served as

232-719: Is the Air Force's lead command for and largest operator of UH-1N Huey helicopters. The UH-1N supports ICBM operations in missile fields controlled by F.E. Warren, Malmstrom and Minot Air Force Bases. In 2015, the 582nd Helicopter Group was activated to supervise the three UH-1 squadrons. The Huey will be replaced by the Boeing MH-139 Grey Wolf . Air Force Global Strike Command comprises the following wings and major units. Air Force Global Strike Command has operational "gaining command" responsibility for several Air Reserve Component (ARC) units, comprising personnel and aircraft from Air Force Reserve Command ( AFRC ) and

261-450: Is the direct descendant unit of the Cold War –era Strategic Air Command ( SAC ). It holds the lineage, history and honors of SAC. Following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident when six AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missiles (ACM), each loaded with a W80-1 variable yield nuclear warhead, were mistakenly loaded onto a B-52H at Minot AFB and transported to Barksdale AFB, and

290-456: Is to "Develop and provide combat-ready forces for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations --Safe --Secure --Effective to support the President of the United States and combatant commanders." The command has a worldwide area of responsibility (AOR) as a subordinate component command of United States Strategic Command. AFGSC consists of over 31,000 personnel assigned to nine wings, two geographically-separated squadrons and one detachment in

319-476: The Air Force Staff . On 18 June, after an environmental assessment finding of "No Significant Impact", Barksdale Air Force Base was announced as the permanent location for AFGSC. On 7 August 2009, the command officially became active with Klotz assuming command of the organization. The headquarters staff includes 900 people, and reached full operational capability by 30 September 2010. The Twentieth Air Force,

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348-617: The Air National Guard ( ANG ). Air Force Reserve Command Missouri Air National Guard Comparable organizations [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force This is a list of major commands ( MAJCOM ) of the United States Air Force . A major command

377-662: The Secretary of the United States Air Force , Michael Donley , announced the creation of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) as a new Air Force major command (MAJCOM). The AFGSC is the only remaining Air Force component command reporting to the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt. The new command began operations in August 2009, combining the nuclear-capable strategic bomber force previously operated by Air Combat Command (ACC) and

406-516: The United States Space Force became an independent military service and Air Force Space Command was transferred and redesignated as Space Operations Command . Since its inception in 1947, a total of 27 organizations have been designated as major commands. Over time, the role of MAJCOMs have changed: some were replaced with NAFs, while some NAFs were replaced with MAJCOMs. Currently, the USAF

435-424: The 2008 incident in which four MK-12 forward-section reentry vehicle assemblies were mistakenly shipped to Taiwan, former Secretary of Defense James R. Schlesinger led an investigation into the status of U.S. Air Force nuclear surety. Secretary Schlesinger's recommendation was the creation of a single major command under which all Air Force nuclear assets should be placed for better accountability. On 24 October 2008,

464-585: The 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, flying the B-2A Spirit. If federalized, it is gained by Eighth Air Force. The Air Force Reserve Command 's 307th Bomb Wing is an associate unit of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, flying the B-52H Stratofortress. In addition, it's geographically separated 489th Bomb Group is an associate unit of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, flying the B-1B Lancer. If activated, it

493-1157: The Air Staff, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and at the State Department as a White House Fellow . He has also served on the faculty of the Air Force Academy, at NATO headquarters in Brussels , at the American Embassy in Moscow , Russia , and as the Director for Nuclear Policy and Arms Control with the National Security Council at the White House . He has also served as the vice commander, Air Force Space Command , Peterson Air Force Base , Colorado . Prior to assuming command of Air Force Global Strike Command, General Klotz

522-586: The B-2, and B-52 bombers will be reassigned to regional commands. Although formerly assigned a nuclear mission, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer bomber force transitioned to a strictly conventional mission force. The B-1 was initially retained in Air Combat Command, although that decision was reversed in 2015. The Rockwell B-1 Lancer bombers are now organized under the Air Force Global Strike Command. In November 2008,

551-659: The USAF announced plans to start a fourth B-52 squadron at Minot Air Force Base to support Air Force Global Strike Command. The USAF added that, "all the nuclear-capable bombers of what is now Eighth Air Force , and [command of all ICBMs] of what is now in Twentieth Air Force, will report to this single new command.". This action was accomplished on 3 September 2009, when the 69th Bomb Squadron reactivated at Minot Air Force Base. The command's 55-member preliminary team, commanded by Major General James Kowalski, began operations at Bolling Air Force Base on 12 January 2009. The team

580-565: The United States Air Force . The USAF's last major reorganization of commands was in 1992. In July 2006, the Air Force Network Operations (AFNETOPS) command was stood up at Barksdale Air Force Base . At the time, it was anticipated that it would be transformed into a new MAJCOM: the Air Force Cyber Command . However, this did not occur, and AFNETOPS was integrated into Air Force Space Command . On 20 December 2019,

609-470: The authority to form wings using manpower authorizations under their control. Each MAJCOM or other organization reporting directly to USAF was assigned a block of four digit numbers to use for units it organized. The system terminated in 1991 when USAF assumed control of all units except for provisional ones. While the majority of MAJCOM wings were support units, combat commands could (and did) create combat units on their own as shown at List of MAJCOM wings of

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638-555: The base's hosting of the 11th Bomb Squadron, which trains B-52 aircrews and will be adding special emphasis on nuclear training. On 16 April 2009, United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced that Air Force Lieutenant General Frank G. Klotz was nominated to be the first commander of the Global Strike Command. Prior to his assignment to AFGSC, Klotz was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director of

667-476: The capability to deploy forces and engage enemy threats from home station or forward positioned, anywhere, any time. The 8th Air Force motto is "Deterrence through strength, global strike on demand." Offensive aircraft assets include the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit , Boeing B-52 Stratofortress , and Boeing B-1B Lancer . The Missouri Air National Guard 's 131st Bomb Wing is an associate unit of

696-557: The commander of Air Force Global Strike Command , Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana . He was born in Lubbock, Texas . General Klotz entered the Air Force in 1973 as a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy . He has commanded a Minuteman missile squadron, a missile launch task force, an operations group, a missile wing and a numbered air force . The general's staff assignments include tours on

725-609: The continental United States and deployed to locations around the globe. Changes to the AFGSC units began with the announcement of the 377th Air Base Wing's realignment in December 2014. In mid-April 2015, Air Force Times reported that " B-1 bombers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and Dyess Air Force Base in Texas [will be] joining their long-range B-2 and B-52 bomber counterparts under

754-437: The land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force previously operated by Air Force Space Command (AFSPC). ACC and AFSPC had assumed those responsibilities following the 1992 inactivation of Strategic Air Command (SAC). The USAF currently has 20 B-2 Spirit , 57 B-52 Stratofortress bombers, and three missile wings of Minuteman III ICBMs that are designated as nuclear-capable. When needed for conventional missions,

783-459: The nuclear-capable assets of Air Force Space Command on 1 December 2009 and the nuclear-capable assets of Air Combat Command on 1 February 2010. The creation of Air Force Global Strike Command was outlined in the recommendations of the investigation following the 2007 United States Air Force nuclear weapons incident . The command was activated 7 August 2009, at Barksdale Air Force Base , Louisiana. The mission of Air Force Global Strike Command

812-576: The service's missile organization, came under the new command on 1 December 2009, and the Eighth Air Force, the bomber component, came under the command on 1 February 2010. Air Force Global Strike Command was established for the improvement of the management of the USAF portion of the United States' nuclear arsenal , which accounts for two-thirds of America's nuclear deterrent. It assumed responsibility for

841-438: Was charged with finding a location for the new headquarters, and for transitioning the assigned units into the new command. In April 2009, the preliminary team selected Barksdale Air Force Base as the headquarters for the new command. Donley stated that the factors which contributed to the selection of Barksdale over the other candidate bases were its connection to the 8th Air Force, a "slightly larger [air] operations center", and

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