Lockheed Martin on Dec. 15 received a new contract and the Air Force extended a second worth a total of about $60 million to revitalize the Air Force’s Minuteman III re-entry systems. The awards include a $50 million, four-year fixed price contract covering seven reentry field support equipment units and additional support equipment. Another $10.6 million contract extends an existing deal for ICBM reentry vehicle integration and modernization, according to a Lockheed release. The contracts come as the Air Force seeks to modernize its Minuteman III fleet to keep it viable until its replacement. A request for proposal for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent system went out this fall, with development expected in the late 2020s, and an expected cost of about $62 billion.
When acting Air Force Secretary Gary A. Ashworth rescinded service-wide “Family Days” last week citing the need to build readiness, he left it up to commanders, directors, and supervisors to decide if they would still permit extra days off. Here’s how Air Force major commands are taking that guidance.