Air Force Global Strike Command has racked up a high readiness rate since its establishment in mid-2009, said AFGSC Commander Lt. Gen. James Kowalski on Wednesday at the Four-Star Forum of AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md. In August, the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., made news by failing a nuclear readiness inspection by not performing up to the command’s stringent standards across the board. Despite the attention gained from the Malmstrom inspection, Kowalski said AFGSC has demonstrated excellence in overseeing the nation’s ICBM and nuclear-capable bomber force. Out of 30 readiness inspections across the command, there have been only two occasions when a wing failed, he said. “We have nothing to be embarrassed about,” said Kowalski. While all Air Force units go through two types of inspections—compliance inspections and readiness inspections—AFGSC has a two-tiered readiness process by having separate nuclear readiness inspections, he said.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.