The mission of US Strategic Command to deter adversaries and assure US allies of its security commitments has remained both “clear” and “unchanged” for the longest time, said STRATCOM boss Gen. Robert Kehler during a June 12 Capitol Hill address. “As long as nuclear weapons exist, our No. 1 priority is to deter nuclear attack[s] with a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent force,” said Kehler at the address, which was sponsored by AFA, the National Defense Industrial Association, and the Reserve Officers Association. To better address the global mixture of threats in the United States’ purview, Kehler said the command has started to analyze specific adversaries in more detail, identifying their motives, decision processes, and value systems. “Some call this tailored deterrence,” he said. But the command is far more “diverse” and “versatile” than ever before, he added. US assets in missile defense, space, and cyber allow the STRATCOM to create synergies from a range of capabilities and gain global perspective. Such assets “remain foundational to confronting the challenges of the future,” he said.
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.