The Air 
Force’s newly revamped nuclear enterprise is not immune from scrutiny as USAF officials look to shave $28.3 billion in excess overhead service-wide by 2016, says Maj. Gen. William Chambers, the newly assigned assistant chief of staff of strategic deterrence and nuclear integration. “[Air Force] Global Strike Command is brand new and I don’t think any one has any intention to do anything that would undermine its first few steps as it reaches final operational capability in the next few months, but the nuclear enterprise is not exempt,” Chambers told reporters Monday during a roundtable discussion in the Pentagon. He added, “It’s just not that fat, either”—implying that its set-up may not warrant much overhead reduction. Chambers also said Air Force officials are looking to reprioritize “hundreds of millions of dollars” to the nuclear mission in the Fiscal 2012 program objective memorandum.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.