Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton officially took charge of US Strategic Command on Oct. 3, but DOD held the command transfer ceremony at Offutt AFB, Neb., Oct. 17 after Defense Secretary Robert Gates returned from recent travels. Donna Miles reports that Gates said Chilton’s “trail-blazing career” would serve well at STRATCOM. Chilton called his new command the “most responsive combatant command in the US arsenal.”
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.

