Maj. Gen. Kathleen Close, one of the six general officers the Air Force just disciplined following the mistaken shipment of ICBM parts to Taiwan, released a public statement, acknowledging her acceptance of the rebuke. The Salt Lake Tribune printed her statement, in which she said, “I take full responsibility for the deficiency issues uncovered within the 309th Maintenance Wing. … I and all members of Team Hill fully support the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff’s initiatives to restore accountability at all levels for the Air Force’s nuclear mission. The safety, security, and reliability of our nuclear weapons is paramount.” She declared her commitment to “actively working” on new efforts to “maintain positive control of nuclear weapons-related components,” saying that “much work has been done since March 21, 2008,” when the issue came to light.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.