News

Feb. 21, 2020

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — United States Secretary of Defense, Mark T. Esper, wife Leah Esper, and Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven visited Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, February 19, 2020. The visit included tours of a missile alert facility, weapons storage area and B-52H Stratofortress showcasing global strike and nuclear deterrence capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Ashley Boster and Airman 1st Class Caleb Kimmell)

U.S. Navy Adm. Charles Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command briefs Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper on the orientation of the command’s battle deck at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Feb. 20, 2020. During his visit, Esper toured the command’s global operations center and participated in discussions with Richard, other senior leaders and warfighters on strategic deterrence in the 21st century.

Feb. 20, 2020

Secretary Esper visits USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB to engage with warfighters, spouses

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. — U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper spent the day with members of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) Feb. 20, engaging with warfighters throughout the day, answering questions at a town hall, and working out at the Offutt Field House alongside service members.“This is an important visit for me and shows how very important what you

An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during a developmental test at 12:33 a.m. Pacific Time Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Feb. 20, 2020

USSTRATCOM Tests All Three Legs of the Nuclear Triad

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. — U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) showcased its ability to conduct coordinated, worldwide operations, reassure partners and allies, and accomplish its primary mission of global strategic deterrence with the conclusion of a series of operational events and tests of the nuclear triad, Feb. 12.USSTRATCOM coordinated these strategic opportunities

An unarmed Trident II (D5LE) missile launches from the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) off the coast of San Diego, California, Feb. 12, 2020. The test launch was part of the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs’ demonstration and shakedown operation certification process. The successful launch demonstrated the readiness of the SSBN’s strategic weapon system and crew following the submarine’s engineered refueling overhaul. This launch marks 177 successful missile launches of the Trident II (D5 & D5LE) strategic weapon system.

Feb. 13, 2020

USS Maine Successfully Tests Trident II D5LE Missile

PACIFIC OCEAN — The U.S. Navy conducted a scheduled, one-missile test flight of an unarmed life-extended Trident II (D5LE) missile from USS Maine (SSBN-741), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, on the Western Test Range off the coast of San Diego, California, today.

A B-52H Stratofortress prepares for takeoff from the flightline at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Feb. 1, 2020, as part of a bomber task force mission. U.S. Strategic Command bomber forces regularly conduct combined theater security cooperation engagements with allies and partners, demonstrating the U.S. capability to command, control and conduct bomber missions across the globe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Caleb Kimmell)

Feb. 11, 2020

Nuclear forces simultaneous operations demonstrate global strike capabilities

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – — February got off to a busy start for Air Force Global Strike Command, with a Bomber Task Force mission to the Indo-Pacific Theater, and an unarmed Minuteman III developmental test launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, taking place within days of one another.Airmen demonstrated that bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile

Security Forces Airmen from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, pose in front of a B-2 Spirit Bomber at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, August 28, 2019, during a hot-pit refueling. Hot-pit refueling is a method of refueling an aircraft without shutting down the engines. This is the B-2s first time landing in Iceland. Forward locations like Iceland enhance the collective defense capabilities of both the U.S. and NATO allies.

Feb. 11, 2020

The Year of the Defender Improved Career Field Capabilities

ARLINGTON, Va. — As we move forward into the New Year, I’d like to reflect upon the past, “Year of the Defender” and how this critical initiative equipped our Defenders to be more lethal and more ready. The increased investment in training, resourcing and equipment provided the career field with a spark that will continue to deliver capabilities to our Defenders for years to come.

Feb. 10, 2020

Air Force Global Strike Command proposes retiring 17 B-1s, major modernization programs on track

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — Over the last 35 years, the B-1B Lancer community has continuously reinvented itself as a premiere long-range precision strike platform. However, continuous bomber support operations over the last 20 years have taken a toll on the airframe’s structure due to overuse in a manner not commensurate with its planned design.Currently a portion of the

A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, six F-16 Fighting Falcons and four Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s from Misawa Air Base, Japan, fly in formation off the coast of Northern Japan as part of a combined Continuous Bomber Presence and Bomber Task Force mission, Feb. 3, 2020. U.S. Strategic Command's bomber forces regularly conduct combined theater security cooperation engagements with allies and partners, demonstrating U.S. capability to command, control and conduct bomber missions around the world. (Courtesy photo by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force)

Feb. 5, 2020

US, Japan bomber-fighter integration showcases alliance, global power projection

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii — U.S. Air Force aircraft from the Pacific theater and the continental United States integrated with the Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self Defense Force or JASDF) to conduct bilateral and theater familiarization training near Japan Feb. 3.

Feb. 5, 2020

AIR FORCE GLOBAL STRIKE TESTS MINUTEMAN III MISSILE WITH LAUNCH FROM VANDENBERG

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test reentry vehicle at 12:33 a.m. Pacific Time Feb. 5 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

U.S. Navy Adm. Charles “Chas” Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), speaks to his key staff on the battle deck of USSTRATCOM’s command and control facility (C2F) during Exercise Global Lightning 20 at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Jan. 30, 2020. Global Lightning is an annual command and control exercise that employs global operations in coordination with other combatant commands, services, U.S. government agencies, and allies to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat strategic attacks against the United States and its allies. This is the first major exercise USSTRATCOM conducted entirely from the C2F, the command’s newest weapon system that enables it to connect to national leadership, all three legs of the triad, and other platforms key to executing operations.

Jan. 31, 2020

Global Lightning 20: USSTRATCOM supports fellow combatant commands through battle staff-focused exercise from new C2F

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. — United States Strategic Command effectively executed command and control and battle staff roles, responsibilities, and objectives during Global Lightning 20.