The 595th Command and Control Group—a new Air Force Global Strike Command unit meant to consolidate nuclear command and control operations—was activated Oct. 6 at Offutt AFB, Neb. The 595th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was formed for the new unit, but the activation otherwise reorganizes the 1st Airborne Command Control Squadron, the 595th Strategic Communications Squadron, and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron into the 8th Air Force, according to a 55th Wing Public Affairs release. The activation also consolidates the service’s nuclear command and control communications and results in a transfer of an E-4B nuclear command and control aircraft. “The mission isn’t going to change, we’re just doing it with a different patch,” said Col. Robert Billings, the incoming commander of the 595th CACG. “We’re refocusing our nuclear enterprise and putting it under one command. Instead of Air Combat Command having a part, 20th Air Force having a part, Global Strike having one or two things—now it’s all under Global Strike.” Lt. Col. Deane Konowicz, commander of the 625th STOS, said the consolidation will allow the squadrons with similar missions—command and control—to “provide better advocacy, better mission focus, and ultimately present capabilities uniformly to the combatant commander,” according to the release.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.