The Air Force intends to keep the Minuteman III ICBM fleet in service until 2030, per Congress’ mandate, but is already in the early stages of exploring a successor land-based strategic deterrent, said Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, head of Air Force Global Strike Command. A capabilities assessment is ongoing, and, next year, the command will conduct pre-analysis-of-alternatives work on future LBSD options, he told attendees of AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium last week in Orlando, Fla. Regarding the command’s nuclear-capable bomber assets, Kowalski said the command will push to install a new anti-skid braking system and new radar on the service’s B-52s, and install extra-high-frequency satellite communications capability on the B-2 fleet to enable beyond-line-of-sight, network-ready connectivity.
Congress is making moves to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but lawmakers have only a few days left to clear the procedural hurdles necessary to ensure troops get paid Nov. 14. The issue is particularly pressing for tens of thousands of uniformed personnel in the Air National…
