Defense & Military

Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson will assume the position of Deputy Commander of U.S. Strategic Command “at the end of July,” from Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, a STRATCOM spokesperson told Weapons Complex Morning Briefing. The nomination of Wilson, who has commanded Air Force Global Strike Command since October 2013, was announced on March 17. STRATCOM spokesperson […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 6/5/2015 The United States should maintain a nuclear triad, a former Defense Department official said this week, emphasizing that the U.S. fleet of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable bombers hedge the sea-based deterrent. “The rationale for a triad remains as strong today as it always has been, and it will remain, […]

Capt. Thomas Ishee has been selected for promotion to the rank of rear admiral, and has been nominated to be the Deputy Commander of U.S. Strategic Command’s Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert announced yesterday. The position is located at Offutt AFB, […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/29/2015 The Senate Armed Services Committee is concerned that recent changes within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), including last year’s elimination of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs position, may lead to a decreased policy focus on nuclear deterrence. In the recently released committee report […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/29/2015 The Air Force last week released its Strategic Master Plan, which outlines the nuclear mission as “the clear priority” for the service. The document largely reiterates some sentiments expressed in last year’s “America’s Air Force: A Call to the Future” strategy document, calling for stockpile and hardware investments when necessary. […]

Col. Stephen Kravitsky will take command of the 90th Missile Wing from Col. Tracey Hayes today at 9:45 a.m. Mountain Time at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Kravitsky most recently served as the Assistant Deputy Director for Nuclear, Homeland Defense and Current Operations, Joint Staff, Pentagon, according to a May 26 Air Force press release. 

Rear Adm. Charles Richard will be assigned as Director of the Undersea Warfare Division, N97, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert announced yesterday. Richard is currently serving as commander of Submarine Group Ten at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. […]

The Air Force recently released its Strategic Master Plan, which outlines the nuclear mission as “the clear priority” for the service. The plan also notes that the service maintains other capabilities to deter “a wide range of actors.” While the document describes nuclear deterrence as essential, it also states the service should be prepared to […]

The Nuclear Weapons Council’s actions to coordinate the stockpile responsibilities of the Defense Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration are “not fully consistent” with key practices for interagency collaboration, a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday found. While the 43-page report found that the Council’s actions are “generally consistent” with “most key practices” for NNSA-DoD […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/22/2015 The contract for the Long-Range Strike Bomber should be awarded this summer, the Air Force’s top acquisition official said late last week. “It’ll be done when it’s done, but I’m expecting the next one to two months,” Bill LaPlante, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), said during an Air […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/22/2015 Members of Minot Task Force 21 met this week with North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven (R) and Heidi Heitkamp (D); Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh; and Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak, Air Force Assistant Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration; to discuss improvement and modernization […]

President Barack Obama nominated Rear Adm. Joe Tofalo for appointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as commander of Naval Submarine Forces, commander of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and commander of Allied Submarine Command, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced yesterday. Tofalo currently serves as Navy Director of Undersea Warfare, N97, in the […]

The Air Force yesterday released a third RFI and a draft RFP for the ICBM Airborne Launch Control System Replacement (ALCS-R), a central nuclear command and control component which the service would like to use to support the Minuteman 3 through approximately 2035 and to meet alternate launch requirements for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent through […]

The commander of U.S. Submarine Forces has observed ballistic missile submarines as a growing Russian priority, noting that Russia is “on the cusp” of fielding a continuous at-sea strategic deterrent, “something they fell off of for many years,” he said during an event on Thursday. Russia debuted its third of 10 planned Borei-class SSBNs in […]

Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 5/15/2015 In the face of a White House veto threat over concerns including nuclear policy provisions, the House late this week passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act in a vote of 269 to 151. The bill sets authorized funding levels and policy for nuclear weapons […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/15/2015 The Department of Defense plans to fund the more than 50-year-old U.S. ICBM command and control structure, even if the military’s budget is limited by sequestration, a top Air Force nuclear official said this week. “The good news is significant investment in the President’s Budget to get at this, and […]

IN DoD Defense Secretary Ash Carter this week nominated Adm. John Richardson to be the next Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Richardson currently serves as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. “Admiral John Richardson was a clear choice,” Carter said. “He’s a bold thinker, a tremendous leader, and the go-to officer for many of […]

Defense Secretary Ash Carter yesterday nominated Adm. John Richardson to be the next Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Richardson currently serves as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. “Admiral John Richardson was a clear choice,” Carter said. “He’s a bold thinker, a tremendous leader, and the go-to officer for many of the Navy’s tough […]

The Pentagon plans to fund the more than 50-year-old U.S. ICBM command and control structure, even if the military’s budget topline is limited to the Budget Control Act level, a top Air Force nuclear official said yesterday. “The good news is significant investment in the President’s Budget to get at this, and even at the […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/8/2015 WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The top commander of the U.S. strategic forces pushed back this week against recent calls by a predecessor for the United States to reduce the high alert levels of its strategic deployed nuclear weapons. During the Strategic Deterrent Coalition’s symposium at the University of Central Missouri, held […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/8/2015 WARRENSBURG, Mo.—Two senior nuclear triad leaders this week positively assessed their services’ communication records with Congress, days after the House Armed Services Committee approved legislation that would establish quarterly meetings between Pentagon brass and HASC after lawmakers raised concerns about the frequency of military-to-Capitol Hill briefings on nuclear forces. “What […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/8/2015 Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) questioned on Wednesday during a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee the top enlisted Defense Department official on why the U.S. needs a replacement for the air-launched cruise missile, and expressed concern that the replacement’s W-80 warhead will vie with nonproliferation activities for federal funding. “This is a […]

The top commander of U.S. strategic forces yesterday cautioned that the U.S. should not unilaterally de-alert its nuclear weapons, responding to a recently released report led by a predecessor that stated that the measure could induce others to follow suit. “I have a lot of respect for [retired] General [James] Cartwright,” former commander of U.S. […]

The Strategic Deterrent Coalition is hosting the symposium "Strategic Deterrence in the 21st Century" at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg on Tuesday, May 5. The event will feature speeches by Adm. Cecil Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Frank Klotz, Administrator for the National Nuclear Security Administration, Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak, Air Force […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 5/1/2015 As the Air Force starts this month to remove 50 Minuteman 3 rocket boosters from silos—or launch facilities (LFs)—across all three intercontinental ballistic missile wings, the existing boosters will rotate among the LFs and empty silos will be upgraded but kept warm, according to Air Force Global Strike Command. AFGSC […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/24/2015 Air Force Global Strike Command plans to start in May removing 50 Minuteman 3 boosters from launch facilities across the missile fleet in compliance with the New START Treaty, though it is unclear if and how, exactly, that will impact procurement of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). AFGSC Commander Lt. […]

Brian Bradley NS&D Monitor 4/24/2015 The Air Force plans to release an RFP for re-engining the B-52 this summer, and is planning to convert some of the planes to tankers, a top service official said this week. “We think we’ll have some data to be able to go forward this summer” with an RFP, Lt. […]

The House Armed Services Seapower & Projection Forces Subcommittee markup of the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act gives the Navy Secretary increased power to push money into the Sea-Based Deterrence Fund and allows the fund to incorporate “cross-program coordinated procurement efforts.” The FY 2015 NDAA authorized only the Defense Secretary to shift money […]

The Air Force plans to release an RFP for re-engining the B-52 this summer, and could convert some of the planes into tankers, a top service official said yesterday. “We think we’ll have some data to be able to go forward this summer” with an RFP, Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, commander of Air Force Global […]

Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh have directed the realignment of the Long Range Strike-Bomber program from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), effective Oct. 1, according to an April 20 service press release. The move will coordinate the service’s core mission of global […]