GLOBAL STRIKE COMMAND

GLOBAL GLOBAL

STRIKE Air Force Global Strike Command, activated August 7, 2009, is a major command with headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, in the Shreveport-Bossier City community. AFGSC is responsible for the nation's three intercontinental ballistic missile wings, the Air Force’s entire bomber force, to include B-52, B-1 and B-2 wings, the Long Range Strike Bomber program, Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) systems, COMMAND and operational and maintenance support to organizations AFGSC is responsible for the nation’s within the nuclear enterprise. three intercontinental ballistic JANUARY 12, 2009 Air Force officials officially established Air Force Global Strike Command (Provisional) at Bolling Air missile wings, the Air Force’s entire Force Base, Washington, D.C. with supporting detachments bomber force, to include B-52, B-1 at Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command and commanded by Brigadier General James M. Kowalski. and B-2 wings, the Long Range The provisional command was responsible for implementing Strike Bomber program, Air Force the Secretary of the Air Force's Program Action Directive and Programming Plan. Nuclear Command, Control and AUGUST 7, 2009 Air Force Global Strike Command Communications (NC3) systems, stood up and was tasked to oversee all of the U.S. Air Force's long-range nuclear-capable bomber and and operational and maintenance intercontinental ballistic missile forces in a support to organizations within ceremony at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. g the nuclear enterprise.

Tech. Sgt. James Bell, 7th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Aircraft Metals Technology craftsman, uses new scanning equipment to scan an image of a small part on a B-1B Lancer. U.S. Airforce photo.

DECEMBER 1, 2009 The command assumed the U.S. Air Force's Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile mission with the assumption of 20th Air Force and the 576th Flight Test Squadron. These units were previously part of Air Force Space Command. FEBRUARY 1, 2010 The command assumed the U.S. Air Force's strategic long-range nuclear-capable B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress bomber missions with the assumption of the 8th Air Force mission. These units were previously part of Air Combat Command. FEBRUARY 2, 2011 New START signed. MARCH 20, 2011 Three B-2s from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, flew a long-range strike mission to support Operation Odyssey Dawn. OCTOBER 17, 2011 Units assigned to AFGSC awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for period covering June 1, 2008 - May 31, 2010. DECEMBER 1, 2011 USAF re-aligned the weapons storage areas from AFMC to AFGSC. MARCH 28, 2013 Two B-2 bombers conduct a long-duration, round-trip training mission from Whiteman AFB to the Republic of Korea as part of the ongoing bilateral Foal Eagle training exercise. OCTOBER 1, 2015 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas, and 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, (B-1B Lancer) and LongRange Strike Bomber Program transfer from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command. The 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, transfers from Air Force Material Command. The realignment enhances the Air Force’s global strike capabilities by placing all bombers under a single command. OCTOBER 1, 2016 The United States Air Force Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Center (USAF NC3 Center) was established at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. USAF NC3 is a suborganization of Air Force Global Strike Command tasked to provide technical and operational support to maintain the health of communication links between the National Military Command Authority and the nuclear warfighters of the U.S. Air Force. SEPTEMBER 29, 2017 USSTRATCOM designation of AFGSC as Air Forces Strategic - Air (AFSTRAT). AFSTRAT is the USSTRATCOM warfighting air-component.