President Obama has nominated Lt. Gen. John Hyten for assignment as 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) commander at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., announced the Pentagon on Wednesday. He has been Air Force Space Command’s vice commander at Peterson AFB, Colo., since May 2012. To succeed Hyten, Obama has tapped Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, states the March 20 release. She has led 14th AF since January 2011.
Since President Donald Trump first unveiled his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative in late January, much of the focus for it has been focused on space—how the Pentagon may deploy dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and interceptors into orbit to protect the continental U.S. from missile barrages. But the Air…