The head of U.S. Strategic Command said he welcomes a new review of nuclear policy, but extending the life of the MInuteman III should not be considered. Experts have said the Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent effort, the massive program to replace the Minuteman III missile and its command and control systems, could come under the knife as President-elect Joseph R. Biden comes into the White House and looks to find savings in the Defense Department budget. STRATCOM boss Adm. Charles A. “Chas” Richard said that though the Air Force has done “revolutionary things” in modernizing the 60-year-old Minuteman III, the missile is simply too old to extend and needs to be replaced. “Let me be very clear: You cannot life-extend Minuteman III, alright?” Richard told reporters in a Jan. 5 virtual briefing.

Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett, USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., and Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond have instructed commanders to review every visual symbol, phrase, and other form “of unit recognition and identity” to make sure they’re in line with the Department of the Air Force’s drive towards increased inclusion among its ranks. “Commanders, at the squadron level and above, will remove any visual representation, symbols, or language derogatory to any race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, age, or disability status to ensure an inclusive and professional environment,” a Jan. 5 release from the department states.

The U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operations School is changing the way it molds maintenance and logistics experts in response to the service’s embrace of agile combat employment and to help USAF maintain its competitive edge amid great power competition, 57th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Michael R. Drowley said Jan. 5. “The AMMOS school is really shifting their scan downrange right now to see what are the problems on the horizon that are gonna be rapidly approaching us here, and how do they focus their efforts appropriately?” he said during a virtual discussion with Air Force Association President retired USAF Lt. Gen. Bruce “Orville” Wright.

The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin Space up to $4.9 billion for three geosynchronous Earth-orbiting space vehicles, plus ground mission software, as part of the Overhead Persistent Infrared next-generation space-based missile warning systems. OPIR will eventually include the three GEO satellites from Lockheed, along with two Northrop Grumman satellites in polar orbit as part of Block 0. Under the new contract, Lockheed will provide engineering support for launch vehicle integration and early on-orbit checkout for all three vehicles, according to the Jan. 4 contract announcement. The award is a modification to a $2.9 billion contract from August 2018 to start work on the project.