The head of US Strategic Command, Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, has declared that nuclear deterrence is his command’s No. 1 priority, despite the importance of STRATCOM’s other “main lines of operations”: space operations and cyberspace operations. Following recent nuclear enterprise missteps, Chilton said he believes the services are “taking all necessary measures to correct the accountability and day-to-day management issues.” However, within STRATCOM, he has created a new one-star position, the deputy director for nuclear operations, and also established a Nuclear Enterprise Council and Board with general officer-level oversight. He said: “We have to be perfect” in the nuclear mission. … I think, perhaps, in the past 15 years we have lost track of the fact that readiness is a mission. Deterrence is a mission. And, the highest calling anyone wearing a military uniform has is not to fight our country’s wars, but to prevent those wars from starting.” (Offutt AFB, Neb., report by MSgt Ben Gonzales)
The Air Force awarded a $13.08 billion contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation on April 26 for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, the successor to the service’s E-4B “Doomsday” plane. Like the E-4B, officially called the National Airborne Operations Center, the SAOC will be meant to withstand a nuclear attack and keep…