Col. Fred Stoss III is the new commander for the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., taking charge after Air Force Space Command announced last week it had relieved the previous commander, Col. Christopher Ayres. Stoss has served as vice commander of the 90th MW at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., since June 2008. He has served in various missile combat crew positions and nuclear mission-related staff and command assignments, including serving as the Air Staff’s chief of the nuclear operations division. The Minot Daily News reports that, when asked about the removal of his predecessor, Stoss told reporters, “This is a tough business we’re in. There are many requirements. The Minuteman … is a complex system, and it requires the utmost professionalism.” He added that he expects the 91st MW to have “the highest standards.”
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
