Maj. Gen. Roger Burg, commander of 20th Air Force, which oversees USAF’s ICBM forces, on Wednesday removed Col. Christopher Ayres from his post as commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. Ayres was relieved “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command,” according to a release from Air Force Space Command headquarters. He was not relieved for any alleged misconduct or wrongdoing, but recent incidents, including an Aug. 31 accident involving a vehicle transporting Minuteman III ICBM components, contributed to the loss of confidence, AFSPC said. Ayres took command of the wing in May 2008. “We must have complete confidence in our leadership as we continue the revitalization of the nuclear enterprise,” said AFSPC boss Gen. Robert Kehler, who approved of the decision.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.